Yesterday, the Gujarat High Court criticized the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) for its failure to adequately oversee the private contractor responsible for managing boating activities at Harni Lake. This scrutiny follows the tragic incident on January 18, where a boat capsized, resulting in the unfortunate deaths of 14 individuals, including 12 students and 2 teachers.

A notice was issued by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Aniruddha Mayee to the VMC Commissioner.

During the course of the hearing, the bench directed the commissioner to submit an affidavit detailing the actions taken by the civic body leading up to the incident.

Advocate Gurusharan Virk, representing VMC, informed the bench that the civic body had initiated some actions. However, Chief Justice Agarwal interjected before he could conclude his submission.

The court emphasized that the civic body cannot simply delegate a public utility to a contractor and neglect its responsibility to oversee the private entities entrusted with providing those services.

The court's remarks followed Advocate General Kamal Trivedi's submission of an affidavit detailing the sequence of events leading to the incident, including the immediate rescue operations carried out by the government.

Attorney General Trivedi informed the bench that the initial contract between the contractor and the VMC was executed in 2017.

Meanwhile, AG Trivedi conveyed to the bench that the state has issued instructions to all corporations, directing them to promptly cease all amusement activities in water bodies.

In the course of the hearing, senior advocate Trusha Patel, appointed as an amicus to assist the court, presented her recommendations. These suggestions encompassed adequate compensation for the families of the deceased students and teachers. Patel proposed that the contractor implicated in the case should also be held accountable for providing compensation to the victims' families.

Furthermore, she proposed that the State could explore the possibility of offering government jobs to the family members of the deceased individuals.

The President of the Gujarat High Court Advocates' Association (GHCAA), Brijesh Trivedi, present in court, requested to be heard in the case, alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government was attempting to shield wrongdoers. Expressing displeasure at this assertion, the Chief Justice unequivocally stated that she would not permit her court to be used as a platform for political matters.

The Court pass an order and give a date for next hearing.