Haleem-making bhattis that were illegally built on the upper floor of the City Light Hotel and Bakery here could have led to the collapse of the 90-year-old structure, according to officials. Normally, the bhattis — brick and mud structures which have a huge handi built within — are set up on the footpaths outside eateries.
“It came to our notice that the hotel had six to seven bhattis on the first floor, which is an old structure and not supported by pillars,” said GHMC commissioner M.T. Krishna Babu said. “Anything, right from the weight of the vessels to water seepage to overheating, could have resulted in the collapse of the building,” he told this correspondent. Reportedly, most of the wheat required for making the haleem were also dumped on the first floor, alongside the bhattis. Sources said the hotel management had not taken permission from the GHMC to set up the bhattis. Haleem bhattis are being illegally operated in hotels and restaurants across the city with the officials not raising objections, according to a source. Neither does the town planning department have an idea about the structural stability of the bhattis nor are the health officials check them out. At many places haleem counters are set up on the footpaths just outside the hotels. Officials from GHMC’s town planning and health section admitted that they had no idea about the physical fitness of the bhattis or whether they had been licensed.
“Haleem preparation is associated mainly with the festival month of Ramzan and we do not insist on licences for haleem sold by hotels and restaurants,” GHMC additional commissioner Vandan Kumar said.
Citizens blamed the GHMC for the deaths in the building collapse.
Venkat Ramana, a local resident, alleged that GHMC personnel were bribed by hotel owners to run haleem bhattis. “The officials pretty well knew that the haleem bhattis were constructed on the first floor. Yet, no action was taken against the hotel management,” he alleged.