'Lost four brothers, but still waiting for compensation'

Man who lost kin in Kamathipura building collapse in 2016 is still running from pillar to post for the amount promised to his family

Four years after Sunarul Molla alias Salim lost his four brothers in the Kamthipura building collapse of 2016, he is still waiting for the compensation of R5lakh that the state government had promised to him. Gulmohar building, a ground-plus-three storey structure in the 14th lane, Kamathipura, collapsed around 2 pm on April 30, 2016, killing four people and injuring two others.

In a letter dated May 13, 2015, the BMC had cautioned MHADA that the fateful building, among others, was dilapidated. It had also asked it to carry out an inspection and take necessary measures before the monsoon. The 90-year-old building (no 12A) was a cessed building and was being repaired by MHADA when it collapsed. Sunarul, along with his deceased brothers – Sarful, 33, Samirul, Mistar, 16, and Jabarul, 14 – worked as labourers at construction sites and lived together in Gulmohar. On the day of the incident though, Sunarul, now 33, was at his native place in Murshidabad, West Bengal. Rahul Mullick (now 19), another resident of the building and a friend of the Mullah brothers, had stepped out of home at the time.

Also Read: Kamathipura building collapse: MHADA sat on BMC's warning for a year

Sunarul Molla

"It was a matter of a few minutes and the building collapsed leaving our brothers in pain," said Mullick who now resides with Sunarul at Teli Mohalla near JJ Hospital and work at an under-construction building here as caretakers. While Sarful lost his life on the spot, Samirul was rushed to Nair Hospital while Jabarul and Mistar were admitted at J J Hospital. None of them could survive the injuries though. "Until last year, I did not bother about the compensation, but now I am putting in efforts to ask for my right," Molla told midday. He had initially approached Amin Patel, the local MLA who had given him a letter supporting his plea to be submitted to MHADA. 

Also Read: Kamathipura building collapse: Cessed buildings under the scanner

Legal aid

Advocate Dharam Mishra, president of the Legal Pandit Foundation, who is helping Mulla, said, "In the recent Dongri collapse, the state government has announced compensation of R5 lakh to the kin of the deceased. A similar assurance was given in the Gulmohar collapse too. We have been following up with the matter for months now. Announcing compensation is easy but the procedure involved in claiming the benefit is very difficult. They go through lengthy documentation processes and hence we have decided to help all such families." Molla, who is a daily wager, has been spending around Rs 300-400 every week to travel and meet people in power to help him secure the compensation amount.

Also Read: Mumbai: Chronology of building collapses in the city

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