The Gujarat High Court Wednesday, July 3, 2024 rejected an inquiry report by the State government about a boat tragedy in Vadodara last January and ordered for another probe.
Twelve students and two teachers died as a boat capsized in Motnath lake in Vadodara on January 18.
Consequently, the court queried how he could have decided to give the contract of managing that front to any firm which was not qualified enough whereas his responsibility is being absolved in such a way .
Moreover, this court also lashed out at the Principal Secretary (PS) of Urban Development and Urban Housing Department who prepared and presented the said report six months after twelve students and their two teachers drowned when a boat sank into Motnath lake located in Harni area of Vadodara city on January 18.
A suo motu PIL filed by Division Bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Pranav Trivedi is hearing on the incident.
Subsequently, it was given to Kotia Projects by The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC), whose partners were later taken into custody following this catastrophe.
In its observation, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the Bench commented that the then-municipal commissioner (MC) of Vadodara was protected by this report although it was obvious that he did not qualify for it.
“The contractor got work order signed by Mohapatra himself. So he was only person who allowed this. Even a lay man can see that contractor isn’t qualified. But this report showed nothing wrong from him. We need an unbiased and just inquiry. Take back this report and make a fresh inquiry,” stated CJ.
“The PS cannot say that they (VMC) were required to act in a manner but they have not. So, there was no fault on their (MC) part? This type of report cannot be submitted to court. You either withdraw this report and file a fresh one, otherwise we will make very serious observations,” said the CJ.
Although Advocate General Kamal Trivedi, appearing for the State initially argued the contents of the report, he later admitted that “perhaps language could have been much better”.
