Govandi forum issues 15-day ultimatum to CM over Chembur and Sakinaka civic deaths
The Govandi Citizens Welfare Forum has issued a 15-day ultimatum to the Maharashtra Governor and Chief Minister demanding criminal action against senior Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials over two recent civic fatalities in Chembur and Sakinaka. The forum has warned of massive public protests and legal action in the Bombay High Court if its demands are ignored.
The ultimatum follows two fatal incidents that occurred within a 48-hour window. On June 30, 11-year-old Vihan Shrivastava was killed after a tree collapsed onto his school bus in Chembur. Two days later, on July 2, Aslam Shaikh died after falling into an uncovered and damaged manhole on Khairani Road in Sakinaka.
In a legal notice sent through Advocate Faiyaz Alam Shaikh, the forum sought the immediate registration of a First Information Report (FIR) for culpable homicide and criminal negligence. The notice, which was also addressed to the Chief Secretary, targets senior IAS officers, ward officials, and chief engineers under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
The forum alleged that both deaths resulted from prolonged administrative negligence rather than adverse weather conditions. According to the citizen group, the BMC repeatedly ignored complaints regarding hazardous trees, unsafe road concretisation, and open manholes. They also criticized the recent suspension of junior field staff, calling it administrative scapegoating to shield senior decision-makers.
Demanding the reinstatement of the suspended junior staff with full back wages, the forum has called for an independent inquiry instead of an internal departmental investigation. They proposed a committee consisting of retired High Court judges, technical experts from IIT Bombay, and independent structural engineers to complete a public investigation within 90 days.
Additionally, the forum is demanding a city-wide structural and environmental safety audit, the immediate securing of hazardous trees and open manholes, and the preservation of all relevant CCTV footage and maintenance records. If the administration fails to act within 15 days, the forum plans to launch a "Maha Morcha" to the BMC headquarters and Mantralaya, alongside filing a public interest litigation and criminal writ petition.
