18 hours ago
KMC 2nd inspection of La Martiniere today
Kolkata: A KMC team, following directions from the Calcutta High Court, will conduct an inspection of the heritage buildings at the twin La Martiniere schools on Sunday.
This is HC's second inspection directive to the KMC.
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The earlier civic team that had inspected the school on June 2 comprised two KMC executive engineers, a representative of the West Bengal Heritage Commission and a representative from the three petitioners.
During the hearing on Thursday, the West Bengal Heritage Commission, in its report, said repairs were required in the schools and the KMC needed to grant permission for it. The counsel for the KMC, Alak Ghosh, submitted before the vacation bench of Justice Ravi Krishan Kapur and Justice Supratim Bhattacharya that the school authorities already demolished what constituted the dignity of the heritage structure set up way back in 1832.
The building appears in the KMC Heritage Building List as a Grade I heritage structure. But the KMC counsel admitted it conducted inspections in a "few selected rooms and not the entirety of the buildings".
Chastising the KMC for its "casual and cavalier attitude", the vacation bench directed the civic authorities to conduct a further investigation of the damage at the heritage buildings and ascertain the urgency of the repairs.
The bench directed the KMC to reach La Martiniere School for further inspection between noon and 3 pm on Sunday.
While the matter will be taken up by the regular bench on June 10, the vacation bench reiterated "if the urgency of the situation so requires, the KMC and the heritage commission shall take necessary steps in accordance with law and won't wait for any order of court".
