Ghatkopar building collapse: Girl denied compensation for 'not suffering enough'

More than three months since the incident, girl is yet to get the promised compensation, even though she is on the list of injured victims. Varsha Sakpal, 20, was lucky to make it out alive in the Siddhi Sai building collapse, but according to the authorities, she did not suffer enough to qualify for compensation declared by Chief minister Devendra Fadanvis. This, despite the fact that Varsha was admitted in hospital for four days after being rescued from the rubble, and her name is also on the list of injured people. Varsha told mid-day, "After I got discharged from the hospital, one of my neighbours said that the government had declared compensation of Rs 50,000 for the injured. I found my name on the list of injured people, and wrote an application to the Collector. But three months later, I am still waiting for the money."

Varsha Sakpal holds up the discharge report she got after spending four days in hospital with a head injury from the disaster. Pic/Rajesh Gupta

She alleged, "One of the officials at the Mulund tehsildar's office said that I was admitted for just four days, and the compensation was only for those who had spent more than seven days in hospital. He said that the only reason my name was on the list was because my financial background is weak."

At the epicentre
Varsha was right in the thick of it all when disaster struck on July 25. Having recently cleared her TYBCom, she had just started working as an accounts executive at Sena leader Sunil Shitap's hospital at the building - the same hospital that was being illegally renovated, resulting in the collapse. She is now pursuing her Mcom and is supporting herself by tutoring computer students, as well as teaching Marathi and Hindi to Std V and X students. Even as she juggles teaching and studying, Varsha has spent the last few months running from pillar to post to follow up on the compensation, to no avail.

The other side
When mid-day contacted Pankaj Bisht, the in-charge of the compensation at MP Kirit Somaiya's office in Delhi, he said, "I had received information that the amount was released from the concerned department at the Delhi PMO. Now, only the Collector's office in Mumbai can shed light on this matter." Deependra Singh Kushwaha, Collector of Mumbai suburbs, said, "I was not aware that she was left, or why she has not received compensation. I will check the records and help her as per procedure."

Rs 50K Compensation promised by the CM

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