Rights panel says authorities 'shifting responsibilities'

Observing that several departments are shifting their responsibilities on each other in the Ghatkoper billboard collapse case, the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) on Thursday directed the BMC, the Mumbai police, the Government Railway Police and the Ministry of Home Affairs to hold a fact-finding inquiry and submit an affidavit about the same.

- PRANALI LOTLIKAR

The commission was acting on a complaint filed by an advocate alleging the collusion of various authorities in allowing the illegal hoarding to be erected.

On December 2, 2022, the BMC had issued a circular limiting the size of hoardings to 40x40 square feet, Amit Dubey said in his complaint.

"However, M/s Ego Media Private Limited was allowed to erect a 120x120 square foot billboard, which in January 2024 was published in the Limca Book of Records to be one of the tallest one," the advocate said.