Kolkata: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who is recuperating from a head injury herself, rushed to the Garden Reach building collapse site on Monday. She vowed to stand by the affected families and asked the state administration to take stern action against those behind the illegal construction.
Since Thursday, the CM is nursing an injury on her forehead that required four stitches. Monday was her first public appearance since the fall at home.
On Monday, she insisted that she would reach out to those affected and meet the injured at the hospital. Banerjee, with a heavily bandaged forehead, reached the Garden Reach spot at 9.10 am. Sources said her instructions led to the immediate arrest of promoter Md Wasim. The state has also announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the deceased.
Speaking to reporters, CM said: “The promoters who construct such buildings should ensure that poor people who live nearby should never be affected. It should be ensured that the constructions are legal. The mayor (who was accompanying the CM) said this construction was illegal. I urge the administration to take necessary action against the people behind this.”
The CM also said: “We shall provide compensation to the next of kin of the deceased and to the injured. We stand by the distressed families. The rescue operations shall continue.”
She walked along the narrow lanes to the local hospital where a majority of injured and rescued people were admitted. After meeting the injured, the CM said: “They are stable.” She left Garden Reach around 9.45am and stopped over at SSKM before heading back home.