The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Narrow escape for Parsi priests, their families

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Saturday, Feb 16, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Narrow escape for Parsi priests, their families

Staff Reporter

The roof and walls of their quarters have developed cracks as earth caved in on the adjoining land on Thursday

A portion of the quarters is facing a threat of collapse
However, the main temple building is safe

Bangalore: It was sheer luck that saved three Parsi priests and their family members when the earth caved in the adjoining land where construction work was in progress on Thursday killing a labourer.

The roof and walls of the decades-old priests’ quarters have developed cracks due to the incident.

Moreover, a portion of the quarters is facing the threat of collapse as the soil below the foundation stone has caved in due to construction taken up by A.H. Ansari, the owner of the neighbouring site.

Senior priest J.P. Unvalla, priests, Kurush Dastur and Bomi Vajafdar, and their family members have been staying in the quarters from decades. Thursday’s incident has left them in a shock and they said only luck and providence had saved them from harm.

They were relieved that the main temple building itself is safe as it is a few metres away from the construction site where the accident took place.

The room occupied by Mr. Unvalla has developed cracks on the roof and the wall.

As a precautionary measure, the Bangalore Parsi Zoroastrian Anjuman, which is managing the Parsi Fire Temple — Agiary — and its quarters built during 1920s, is now shifting the priests and their families to a guesthouse.

Shereyar D. Vakil, honorary secretary of the Anjuman, and M. Marker, a trustee, blamed Mr. Ansari for the accident saying the excavation for his proposed building stretched all the way to the foundation of the priests’ quarters.

A portion of the quarters might fall in case of rain as the soil under the foundation of their building partially caved in on Thursday, they said.

Mr. Vakil alleged that Mr. Ansari had not taken a no-objection certificate from them for the construction and had failed to take precautionary measures to protect the property belonging to the Parsi temple.

Drain blocked

Meanwhile, Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Friday took note of the fact that Mr. Ansari had blocked the storm water drain by filling it with debris to allow trucks to enter the construction site.

The BBMP also seized the construction material dumped on the footpath and in the stormwater drain.

The assistant executive engineer of Shivajinagar area served a notice on Mr. Ansari asking him to take measures to protect neighbouring property.

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