RTI activist says that he will take the Sanjana case further, fight corrupt officials and contractors

'It won't stop at this'

RTI activist says that he will take the Sanjana case further, fight corrupt officials and contractors

In what can be termed as a fresh lease in the case of Sanjana Singh, a 17-year-old, who was crushed when the wall of a medical college collapsed, Veeresh, an RTI activist, has now taken the case further with support from other activists.

He has sought an enquiry by the Lokayukta, alleging the civil work in the whole stretch from High Grounds to Hebbal flyover, is substandard.

"It won't stop at this," Veeresh told MiD DAY. "We will fight the corrupt officials. The whole stretch is messed up with substandard work."

After a thorough study and armed with documents, Veeresh has filed a petition, alleging that it was not just the wall that collapsed was substandard, but the entire stretch.

This includes roadwork, asphalting, construction of medians, barricading, and eight other compound walls, which may prove fatal during the monsoons.

"Pedestrians are in danger as whole set of civil work in the stretch is substandard," added Veeresh.
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"The road does not match the International Road Congress (IRC) norms. We have sought an enquiry by Lokayukta and action against officials including the engineer-in-chief."

Under scanner

Unlike the Engineer-in-Chief committee enquiry, which held executive engineer TP Padmanabhan and contractor-turned-corporator Munirathna Naidu responsible in Sanjana case, the Engineer-in-Chief AK Gopalaswamy himself is made responsible in the complaint.

Chief Engineer TN Chickrayappa (Major roads) and KT Nagraj, superintendent (Major roads), are others being held responsible for the mess.

u00a0Other activists, who have come forward to support Veeresh hope a speedy enquiry and aim to check any Sanjana episode in days ahead.

"There is no accountability and engineering department does not have any responsibility," said Red Arrow Bhaskar, another RTI activist.

"The plan of the whole stretch is unscientific. Superior officials are directly responsible for the mess. We want them to be punished and don't want a repeat of the Sanjana episode. Hence we have taken it up," he added.

The Case
Sanjana, a student of Class XII, Kendriya Vidyalaya, was killed when a compound wall collapsed on Bellary Road on June 1, following heavy rain. Sanjana's parents visited Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde on June 10 and filed a complaint, following which he instituted an inquiry. The report was submitted to the state government on June 12. The Lokayuktau00a0 had indicatedu00a0 that the fault lay with the contractors, Munirathna Naiduu00a0 and Humesh Kumar, and BBMP officials.

The Other Side
Denying the charges, KT Nagraj, superintendent (Major roads), said, "We are in no way responsible for the mess. All people named were not in any postings related to that road construction project. Those who undertook the road widening must be held responsible."

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