Cuttack: Two separate public interest litigation (PIL) petitions have been filed before the Orissa High Court in connection with the recent collapse of a span of the road over bridge (ROB) at Bomikhal in Bhubaneswar.
Surendra Panigrahi of Berhampur in Ganjam filed a PIL urging the HC to order a special investigation team (SIT) probe into the mishap and pled the court to cancel the licence of Panda Infra Private Limited, which was given the project contract.
Panigrahi also pleaded that criminal proceedings be initiated against the officials concerned, including the works department secretary, in connection with the incident. “The court should immediately ask the state government to suspend the officials concerned and provide compensation to the victims,” the petition read.
Panigrahi has named the chief secretary, works department secretary and executive engineer, Khurda collector, Panda Infra chairman-cum-managing director Pratap Kishore Panda and director Sujata Panda parties to the case.
The other petition was filed by Nationalist Lawyers’ Forum convener Sabyasashi Mahapatra. He has sought a CBI investigation of the mishap. Mahapatra has also named several government officials, including the chief secretary and works department secretary parties to the case.
Both petitioners have blamed the poor quality of work and the absence of safety measures for collapse of the ROB. They have alleged that government officials have failed to ensure proper quality in construction.
Meanwhile, Panda Infra director Sujata Panda and works department executive engineer Dukhabandhu Behera have approached the HC for anticipatory bail.
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