Recently, the BMC granted Rs. 10 Lakhs Compensation to Father of Two Children Who Drowned in Civic Garden

The suo moto PIL was heard by a division bench comprising Justice M.S. Sonak and Justice Kamal Khata on Friday. Senior Advocate Anil Singh, representing the BMC, informed the court that the compensation amount could not be transferred because the bank account details of the father were not yet available.

The amicus curiae brought to the bench's attention that the father was present in court, facilitating the provision of his bank account details. Subsequently, the high court directed the transfer of the compensation amount by the following day.

The high court initiated suo moto cognizance following newspaper reports that spotlighted the incident at a civic garden in Wadala. The tragic fate of the children, who were innocently playing, prompted the court to take action.

The garden's water tank, intended to be securely covered, was found covered only with paper, a grossly inadequate safety measure. This oversight resulted in the tragic drowning of the children, causing widespread outrage and demands for accountability.

During investigations, it emerged that despite numerous complaints from residents, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had neglected to address the critical safety hazard.

The court pointed to a newspaper report which highlighted that “the Wadala Citizens Forum had complained repeatedly to the civic body about the condition of the tank and that it posed a danger.”

Reports indicate that the BMC cited budgetary constraints as the rationale for not installing a proper cover for the water tank. This explanation has sparked significant scrutiny regarding the priorities of civic authorities and their dedication to upholding public safety.