The Bombay high court (HC) directed the Barshi Municipal Council in Solapur to pay Rs 2 lakh as interim compensation to a woman whose daughter was killed after the wall of a toilet constructed by the civic body collapsed on her in 2015.
The court held that as the council had failed to maintain the wall, it was liable to pay compensation to the victim’s mother, who was dependent on the 50-year-old woman.
The division bench of justices Akil Kureshi and SJ Kathawalla was hearing a petition last week filed by the victim’s brother through advocate Manoj Shirsat.
On May 16, 2015, when the woman was selling vegetables in Barshi taluka of Solapur, the toilet wall collapsed on her, resulting in her death. Shirsat submitted that in a letter to the police the council admitted that the wall was old but did not take responsibility for the mishap and instead promised to take action against the officials responsible for the wall’s dilapidated state.
However, the court observed, “The council cannot escape its liability to maintain its own constructed building to ensure the lives of the citizens in the nearby area are not jeopardised. The council must own up the responsibility to pay compensation for the victim’s death.”
The bench directed the council to pay an interim sum of Rs 2 lakh to the victim’s mother within four weeks and asked the victim’s brother to initiate proceedings to decide on the quantum of compensation by the council.
