West Bengal CM urges officials for stern action on illegal buildings

21 Mar 2024 CW Team

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was recovering from a head injury herself, had hurried to the site of the Garden Reach building collapse on Monday. She had expressed her determination to support the affected families and had instructed the state administration to take strict action against those responsible for the illegal construction.

Since Thursday, the CM had been nursing an injury on her forehead that had required four stitches. Monday had marked her first public appearance since the accident at home.

On Monday, she had asserted that she would personally reach out to those affected and visit the injured at the hospital. With her forehead heavily bandaged, Banerjee had arrived at the Garden Reach location at 9:10 am. Sources had indicated that her directives had led to the immediate arrest of promoter Md Wasim. The state had also announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the deceased.

Banerjee had stated, "The promoters who construct such buildings should ensure that poor people living nearby are never affected. It must be ensured that the constructions are legal. The mayor (who was accompanying the CM) had stated that this construction was illegal. I urge the administration to take necessary action against those responsible for this."

Additionally, Banerjee had mentioned, "We will provide compensation to the next of kin of the deceased and to the injured. We are with the distressed families. The rescue operations will continue."

She had walked through the narrow lanes to the local hospital where the majority of injured and rescued individuals had been admitted. After visiting the injured, the CM had remarked, "They are stable." She had departed from Garden Reach around 9:45 am and had made a brief stop at SSKM before returning home.

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