Mohali building collapse: Punjab CM orders probe, seeks report in week

MOHALI: Taking serious note of Saturday’s building collapse in Mohali, Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has asked the additional district magistrate (ADM), Mohali, to conduct a thorough probe into the incident and submit a report within a week.
The chief minister also directed the district administration to take all possible steps to rescue those who might be still trapped in the debris, according to an official spokesperson.
According to information received from the deputy commissioner, Mohali, Girish Dayalan, two or three persons were believed to be still under the debris and rescue operations were going on a war footing.
The entire cost of the treatment of those injured in this incident would be borne by the state government as per the chief minister’s orders, said a spokesperson, adding that so far two persons had been rescued and were under treatment.
According to the deputy commissioner, preliminary information suggests that a JCB was at work on the construction site adjacent the building when the structure collapsed. Probe would also ascertain if the construction was illegal or not, said the spokesperson.
Deputy commissioner Girish Dayalan said, “A magisterial enquiry have been marked to SDM Kharar supported by three other officers. He will ascertain causes of building collapse and will mark responsibility after which we will go in for registration of FIR. It will be seen if any of this was illegal or necessary permissions obtained. If found not in order, the guilty will be brought to book.”
He said the report would be initiated once the rescue operations were over ensuring that no one was trapped and no fatalities.