UT Admin appoints second panel to probe Carmel tragedy

On Friday, a 16-year-old Heerakshi, a Class 10 student at Carmel Convent School, Chandigarh, was crushed to death as the a part of the 250-year-old heritage peepal tree collapsed on her. A total of 18 of her school mates were injured, with another student, losing her arm.

Members of Chandigarh Youth Congress hold a silent protest outside Carmel Convent School on Monday. Kamleshwar Singh

THe Chandigarh Administration, in the face of growing criticism, on Tuesday appointed Justice (retired) Jitendra Chauhan as a one-man committee to investigate the Carmel Convent tree collapse tragedy that claimed the life of a 16-year-old and left several others injured.

The decision was taken after a meeting of Chandigarh Administrator Banwarilal Purohit with his Adviser Dharam Pal, as well as other officials, on Tuesday.

On Friday, a 16-year-old Heerakshi, a Class 10 student at Carmel Convent School, Chandigarh, was crushed to death as the a part of the 250-year-old heritage peepal tree collapsed on her. A total of 18 of her school mates were injured, with another student, losing her arm.

As per reports, Justice Chauhan has been tasked by the administration to ascertain the facts in the case, fix responsibility and suggest remedial action, if any, that ought to be taken. Justice Chauhan’s probe will run parallel to that being conducted by a three-member magisterial committee that had already been appointed.

The UT Administration had been facing flak from several quarters after it had set up a three-member committee to probe the incident.

The panel appointed by the administration then comprised the SDM (Central) of the UT, executive engineer of horticulture, and the range forest officer of the Chandigarh forest department. Several residents had later expressed doubts as to how the administration would investigate itself as those in the committee are supposed to be protectors of the tree.

COMPENSATION ANNOUNCED

UT Administrator Purohit, along with Adviser Dharam Pal and others on Tuesday also visited PGIMER in Chandigarh to meet those injured in the July 8 incident.

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Purohit and the others, later, also visited the family of Heerakshi and offered their condolences besides announcing Rs 20 lakh as financial assistance to the family. Apart from this, Purohit said that Rs 10 lakh will be given to those seriously injured in the incident and Rs 1 lakh each will be given to students who suffered minor injuries.

Hina Rohtaki

Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. She is one of the most prominent journalists covering the Chandigarh Administration, civic issues, and the unique political status of the Union Territory. Professional Background Experience: She has been in the field for over a decade and is known for her investigative reporting on administrative waste and urban governance. Awards: She is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, which was presented to her by the President of India in January 2020. She was also awarded the Jethmalani prize (The Will of Steel Awards) in 2025 in the Empowerment category for a series of articles that highlighted the struggles of Covid widows. Core Beat: Her primary focus is the Chandigarh administrative structure, the Union Territory's financial management, and urban development projects. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent work highlights a focus on government accountability, administrative expenditures, and civic trends: 1. Investigative & Financial Reporting "Fuelling power: Senior UT IAS officers guzzled petrol worth Rs 30 lakh in 2 yrs" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative report detailing the high fuel bills of top bureaucrats, including the Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary’s staff. "Admn spends Rs 1.5 crore on dismantling road railings and fixing again after increasing height" (Dec 8, 2025): Highlighting administrative waste on "non-viable" solutions for pedestrian control. "Chandigarh’s finances under ministry’s watch now" (Nov 27, 2025): Reporting on the new requirement for MHA approval for all new projects in the UT. 2. Governance & Constitutional Status "What will it mean for Chandigarh if it is brought under Article 240?" (Nov 24, 2025): An "Explained" piece on the potential constitutional shift that would grant the President more power over the UT's governance. "MP Manish Tewari moves Bill seeking directly elected Mayor with 5-year tenure" (Dec 6, 2025): Covering the legislative push to reform Chandigarh's municipal leadership structure. "No proposal to increase Mayor's term in Chandigarh by 5 years: Centre" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on the Union government's response to demands for a longer mayoral term. 3. Urban Infrastructure & Environment "Chandigarh admn cuts power to India's tallest air purifier, asks firm to dismantle it" (Nov 17, 2025): A critical report on the failure of a high-cost environmental project deemed "of no use" by experts. "UT rethinks 24/7 water supply project as costs soar" (Nov 26, 2025): Detailing the financial challenges and delays in modernizing the city's water network. "Centre 'obfuscating, covering up' MC's shifting deadlines for clearing Dadu Majra dump" (Dec 12, 2025): Reporting on the ongoing controversy surrounding the city's major waste dump. 4. Lifestyle & Local Trends "Chandigarh turns into a Thar city as women fuel the surge" (Dec 2, 2025): A feature on a unique automotive trend in the city, with a record 600 registrations by women drivers this year. "After fivefold spike in 2023, EV sales struggle to pick pace in Chandigarh" (Dec 2, 2025): Analyzing the slowdown in electric vehicle adoption despite previous surges. Signature Beat Hina is known for her meticulous tracking of RTI (Right to Information) data to expose administrative inefficiency. Her "Ground Zero" reporting on the Dadu Majra garbage dump and her scrutiny of the Chandigarh Smart City projects have made her a key figure in the city’s civil society discourse. X (Twitter): @HinaRohtaki ... Read More

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