00:06Hello and welcome to this India Today special where I'm joined by today two very special guests.
00:13Remember just a few weeks ago, 11-year-old boy tragically died when a tree fell on his bus
00:20in the Chembur suburb of Mumbai amidst heavy rain.
00:25That incident sent shockwaves and led to allegations of negligence and worse against the Mumbai Municipal Corporation.
00:34Today I'm joined by two people who have suffered immense tragedy.
00:40Gaurav and Juhi Srivastav join me, the parents of 11-year-old Vihan.
00:46I appreciate you joining us, ma'am and sir.
00:50First of all, our heartfelt condolences.
00:53I heard of this when I was in Mumbai those days and my heart went out to you and to
00:59your family.
00:59So please accept my condolences first before anything else.
01:04I thank you also for joining me at this moment.
01:07I know it's difficult.
01:08But what would you like to say?
01:10Because now the BMC or the mayor is admitting to negligence.
01:14How do you respond?
01:20I think the report itself is not transparent.
01:25While you are making the contractor and consent liable, but the people who are coordinating these jobs and works, they
01:32are not held liable.
01:34And they are given clean chit by their own department.
01:38Our demand is ki at least there should be a fair re-inquiry into the incident led by independent people
01:46and experts who can determine ki that is not a natural disaster.
01:51It's a man-made disaster and complete work of negligence.
01:59There should be a fair inquiry.
02:01That's what I want to say.
02:03You know, you're saying it's a man-made disaster.
02:05In BMC also there are disagreements.
02:08Yeah, you know, you're saying it's a man-made disaster, Gaurav.
02:12It's not a natural disaster.
02:13It's not a natural disaster.
02:16This was a tree.
02:17Many trees have fallen in Mumbai.
02:19More than a thousand trees have fallen.
02:21And there are serious question marks over why so many trees have fallen in such a short period of time.
02:27You seem to believe that these trees were not looked after.
02:32The roots had withered away.
02:35There were complaints.
02:35I'm told citizens in and around Chambur had even complained and yet no action was taken.
02:41Is that why you're saying this is a man-made disaster, that this could have been prevented?
02:49Right.
02:50If everyone knows ki this was a risky work and they have informed the person who are doing it,
02:56the care should have been taken and this could have been avoided.
03:01And Vyan might be with us.
03:04Did people from the colony complain?
03:07Do you know if people had complained earlier about these trees?
03:10There have been some reports that people from the area had complained that all these trees were very dangerous.
03:15They could fall at intact.
03:21Yes, we have heard that there was previously complained regarding this tree.
03:27Jui, do you want to say anything?
03:28I know for a mother, this is interesting.
03:30If everything is...
03:32Yeah, go ahead.
03:34Jui, do you want to say something?
03:35As someone who is the mother of the child, what would you like to say today?
03:43I just want justice for my son, Vyhan.
03:47Nothing else.
03:48What does justice mean for you?
03:50The people who are accountable should be punished.
03:53Right.
03:54You know, the BMC...
03:55The persons who are accountable should be given proper punishment.
03:59Right.
03:59The BMC is saying they have punished some...
04:01I mean, suspended lower officials.
04:04Officials have been suspended.
04:05Are you saying that's not enough?
04:11No, they should set some proper guidelines.
04:14Right.
04:15Because these incidents happen every year.
04:18It's not that it's the first time it has happened.
04:20One month back also, there was similar incident in Khar.
04:24One year back, it was in Vikroli.
04:26So, it's not that they have been following proper guidelines.
04:32So, if it's not taken proper action,
04:35the same incident would repeat every year.
04:38You know, it's been a few weeks since this tragedy happened.
04:41Has the BMC or the mayor officials been in touch with you?
04:45Have people from the government or the local MLAs, MPs,
04:48anyone reached out to you and the family
04:51and assured that they will take action?
04:57I think after the incident,
05:00mayor, we met the mayor.
05:02Local MLA and cooperator were also with us.
05:05So, they have updated about us about the incident.
05:08Their inquiry will be,
05:10is already initiated and some action will be taken.
05:13But the outcome of yesterday's report was shocking to all of us.
05:17The way it was given a clean sheet
05:21and the conclusion of those reports.
05:24It's a complete shocking for us and we have very less faith now that it will be done properly next
05:34time.
05:34So, our only request is that the inquiry should be initiated again with the independent and expert persons.
05:44And the whole set of people who are associated with this job of tree around the tree,
05:51they should be held accountable.
05:53It's not merely a conductor who is at a fault.
05:56The person who is supervising it and planning it,
05:59they are also liable for this.
06:01And the cost of negligence should be that key in future.
06:05It should set an example to others.
06:08That's what our main demand is.
06:10Have you told exactly this to the mayor and the officials who met you
06:14that we want an inquiry which holds specific individuals accountable?
06:18It's not enough to just blame the contractor
06:21that those involved in this entire exercise of protecting trees
06:27who have failed in their duty,
06:29all of them must be held accountable.
06:31Have you informed this to the authorities that that is your demand?
06:35We were hoping that this will be the outcome, what you told.
06:40But unfortunately, after yesterday's report, this is not the same.
06:44So, we are requesting through media only to begin the re-enquiry
06:50in a transparent and clear manner.
06:53You know, Gauri, you just mentioned that every year,
06:56something or the other happens of this kind.
06:59And it's extremely tragic, I repeat.
07:02Gauri, you want to tell us your, you know, about Vihan himself.
07:06I was reading and it was very touching how much he loved cricket.
07:09He had a cricket ball that he would always take along with him.
07:13I'm sure you've been speaking to his friends,
07:15the parents of his friends, all those who were in the school bus.
07:20You want to tell our viewers a little bit about your son
07:24and just so that they know what kind of a boy he was?
07:35It's very difficult for us to speak.
07:38But you are a very loving child and who loves cricket
07:43and he wants to make others happy.
07:49Has the school cooperated with you?
07:51Has the school fully cooperated with you in all the inquiries
07:54and all that you're doing?
07:55Yes.
07:55The school also is a stakeholder?
08:01The school has done their job.
08:04They've helped us in everything.
08:06They've met us.
08:09So what you're telling us is that any kind of closure for you
08:13will come only when you feel that there has been full
08:16and complete accountability for all those who have been responsible
08:20for what has happened.
08:21Am I right?
08:25Right.
08:27And you want this to be a time-bound inquiry.
08:30This cannot be a prolonged inquiry.
08:31This should be a time-bound inquiry
08:33and accountability should be fixed on specific individuals.
08:43I will ask you one last time.
08:46What will you tell those who say,
08:48you know, we've seen in this year people who unfortunately died
08:52because of open manholes.
08:54We've now seen a tree collapse on a bus.
08:59The point that Gauri made just now,
09:01that, you know, every year we hear these reports,
09:04this chalta hai attitude seems to be there.
09:07Often, you know, that every year something happens.
09:09What will you tell all those people today as parents?
09:17I think they should demand full justice for the reasons
09:22due to which it happens.
09:25Like, a manhole incident happened just after Bihan incident.
09:28It was a complete case of negligence.
09:30In a big city like Mumbai,
09:31these incidents happen every year.
09:34and the conclusion is always
09:38not up to the expectation of the sufferer.
09:43Our demand is only whenever such incident happens,
09:45there should be a fair and transparent inquiry
09:47and the process should be set
09:48so that in future there are no repeated incidents.
09:53Gauri, you want to give us any final word?
09:55Do you have any final thoughts that you wish to share?
09:58Anything that you would like to say, Gauri?
10:04No, she is a father.
10:06I can understand.
10:07I want to leave it there.
10:09You know, I think it's not easy.
10:10I know as parents,
10:12I can understand the trauma that you've gone through.
10:15I'm a father too of two young children.
10:19All I can say is that our thoughts and prayers are with you.
10:22And I believe that whoever is responsible
10:25must be held accountable,
10:27not enough to dismiss it
10:28as only a problem of the contractor
10:30or to even suggest that it is a natural disaster
10:33and no one can be held accountable.
10:37Veehan deserves justice.
10:38And I hope he gets it.
10:40I want to thank both of you
10:42for taking the time out to speak to us.
10:44Thank you so much.
Comments