Prominent lawyer Rizwan Merchant, who lost his family in the Altaf Manzil building collapse in Mahim, has claimed that he had filed a complaint regarding illegal construction work in the building with the BMC on several occasions, but the civic body did not take cognisance of the same. On Wednesday, the lawyer called upon BMC commissioner Sitaram Kunte, and demanded strict action against people responsible for the incident.
“In 2008 and 2009, I had filed a complaint with the G-North ward office about illegal constructions in the building. I had even lodged a complaint with the civic chief on May 15, 2012, along with photographs of the alleged alterations carried out in the building structure. However, no action was taken by the civic officials,” said Mr Merchant, who lost his mother, wife and son in the collapse.
The alterations carried out by the car showroom on the ground floor damaged the building’s beams, due to which the building collapsed, he added.
Samajwadi Party group leader Rais Shaikh made a scathing attack on the civic administration for refusing to pay heed to the complaints about the illegal constructions. “The fact that even the commissioner was kept in dark about complaints made by Mr Merchant shows the callous approach of civic officials when dealing with such incidents. The BMC should punish the guilty officers,” he said.