Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh): After two persons died and two others were injured due to a wall collapse adjacent to the Mahakaleshwar temple on Friday evening, the Ujjain Municipal Corporation (UMC) on Saturday swung into action and removed the shops of more than 100 vendors who were doing business by selling flower, prasadi illegally for years.
Some people protested, but due to the police force, the businessmen agreed to remove all the shops. The two persons who lost their lives in the incident near Mahakal temple were both flower and prasad sellers. A large number of illegal shops were operating on the smart road in the lane of Bade Ganesh temple near the place where the incident took place. All the shops were operating with the support of a dilapidated wall.
On Saturday, the UMC took action against these vendors and removed all the shops. All the shops were removed in four hours by using three JCB machines and manpower. However, the vendors were given a chance to take out their goods after which the businessmen packed their goods and took them away. Gang in-charge Monu Thanwar said that action was taken after the incident on Friday and it will also be ensured that these people do not set up shops at this place in the future.
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Bereaved family members stage chakkajam
The family members of Ajay Nath, who died in the wall collapse, protested by placing his body on Agar Road here on Saturday afternoon. The family was demanding a government job for a family member and compensation of Rs 50 lakh. The post-mortem of the body was done in the District Hospital in the morning. Ajay (30), son of Premnath Yogi, a resident of Shivshakti Nagar, worked at a flower prasad shop near the wall of Maharajwada ground.
Relatives said that Ajay had gone to work at a shop two months ago. He lives with his parents, wife and two children. His financial condition is not good. His death in the accident will make it difficult for the family to survive. The government has announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each for those killed in the accident.
The relatives said that Rs 4 lakh is of no use. The protest ended after SDM LN Garg and police officials assured the family that their demands would be forwarded to the State government. The protestors alleged that the wall collapsed due to an improper drainage system and sought action against the officials.
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Minister inspects site
District minister-in-charge Gautam Tetwal inspected the site of the incident caused by the collapse of a wall near Maharajwada School here on Saturday afternoon. Collector Neeraj Kumar Singh informed about the incident in detail. The collector said he has asked the SDM to investigate the cause of the wall collapse and other issues. He said that the condition of the other victims, Sharda (40) and Ruhi Rathore (3), daughter of the deceased woman, who are undergoing treatment at a hospital in Indore, were stable. The minister expressed condolences to the family members of the deceased. Ujjain Municipal Corporation speaker Kalavati Yadav and SP Pradeep Sharma were present.
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Cong lists out shortcomings
The City Congress Committee functionaries reached the spot on Saturday. Leader of Opposition Ravi Rai said that on inspection it was seen that the walls were constructed in the soil area without beams or columns. About 10 feet of soil was filled on top of the already built wall and a wall was built on one side of it. No arrangement was made at the site for water drainage. There was no information about any construction at that place or any kind of safety measures were taken on the path below. Being the main place of the Lord Mahakal temple area, thousands of devotees always go on this route from Mahakal temple to Harsiddhi temple. It seems that all the work is being done without the inspection of technical officers and administrative officers. The party leaders demanded State government to fix responsibility against the guilty officer and take action against him. Take care of the families of the poor deceased or treated persons and provide them government jobs and increase the small compensation amount being given to the families of the deceased to Rs 50 lakh, they said.
MLA visits injured persons
North MLA Anil Jain Kaluheda reached Indore’s Bombay Hospital to meet the persons injured in the wall collapse, inquired about their condition and gave instructions to the doctors for proper treatment. He consoled the family members of the deceased and the injured and assured them of all possible help.
Temple priests recite ‘Shanti Paath’
To seek the peace of the souls of the deceased and speedy recovery of the injured in the accident, the Mahakal Mandir Purohit Samiti members performed the abhishek-pujan of Lord Mahakal in the sanctum-sanctorum and recited the Shanti Paath on the premises in the presence of the temple management committee administrator Ganesh Dhakad.
