A compound wall has come up at the place where a wall collapse killed 17 residents of Nadur, Mettupalayam, in Coimbatore district, on December 2, 2019.
The compound wall belongs to textile trader S. Sivasubramaniam and he has now built a wall and that too at the same height, say residents of Nadur.
The work began around 20 days ago and was completed 10 days back. Though the residents took note of the construction they did not raise any objection, says Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi’s Mettupalayam Town Secretary S. Poole, who is a Nadur resident.
The house owner had raised hollow block structure atop a five-foot deep concrete basement and for every five feet or so, he had used pillars to bind the hollow block. The wall, as it stands today was more or less of the same height, he added.
B. Samathuvan, another resident, said the residents did not object. Neither did his party, the VCK. There was no complaint lodged with or petition given to officials, he added.
A Mettupalayam Municipality officer said the property owner took the local body’s permission. He also submitted a detailed plan including structural stability-related details, which the Municipality sent to senior officials in the Department of Municipal Administration for approval.
Only after going through the detailed drawing and getting the consent of senior officials did the civic body grant the permission.
Besides, once the construction started, it also ensured that the surveyor and town planning official went to the house for a spot inspection, the officials added.
Mr. Sivasubramaniam was not available for comment. District administration officials could not be reached for comment, either.