The Oreva Group, part of famous clock-making firm Ajanta Manufacturing Pvt Ltd, informed the Gujarat High Court Tuesday that it has deposited with the state legal services authority the entire amount of Rs 14.62 crore as part of interim compensation to be given to the victims of the Morbi suspension bridge collapse.
The clock-making firm filed an affidavit before the court informing it that it deposited the amount as per the high court order with Gujarat State Legal Services Authority. Following the submission, the high court directed the authority to disburse the amount as per the directions issued earlier.
On October 30, the British era suspension bridge on Machhu river in Morbi town collapsed, killing 135 people. Oreva Group had the contract of managing the bridge. In February, the division bench of the high court had directed the company to pay Rs10 to each of the 135 people who lost their lives and Rs2 lakh each to 56 who sustained injuries.
Meanwhile, the state government also informed the court, hearing the suo moto public interest litigation, through an affidavit that the Morbi municipality was superseded on April 11 order. The affidavit stated, "respondent State has declared the Morbi Nagarpalika to be incompetent and thereby, in the public interest, dissolved the same with immediate effect."
The government also informed that Naran Kalabhai Muchhar, the then Chief Officer of the Morbi Nagarpalika, has been appointed as the ‘Administrator’ of the Morbi Nagarpalika.