Rescue operation under way after the building collapse. File photo

Tribune News Service

Dera Bassi, November 24

The Sub-Divisional Magistrate’s report into the Dera Bassi building collapse has found no major fault with the Municipal Council officials but cited the use of unskilled labour and the deceased ‘supervisor’ as the main reason for the incident in which four persons lost their lives.

Survey only on paper

The Dera Bassi Municipal Council had announced a survey of all unsafe buildings in the town. The Executive Officer had said: “All buildings older than 50 years will be inspected. If found unsafe, notices will be issued to the owners, and these will be demolished.” Two months later, Executive Officer Jagjeet Singh said: “I will have to check with the building inspector.’’

However, for not completing the paperwork before the start of construction, “a disciplinary warning will be issued to the erring MC officials for not taking the Form C from the owner of the building,” said SDM Kuldeep Bawa.

On the day of building collapse, September 24, a magisterial-level inquiry was ordered to submit the report in 10 days time.

Migrant labours Gopi Chand (60), Raju (46), Ramesh (45) and supervisor Haridev Singh (72), and also the brother of the building owner were killed when a double-storey building at Meera Milli Mohalla, near Ramlila Ground, collapsed under its own weight.

Eyewitnesses said reused bricks and iron of the old residential building were being used to erect a new commercial building over it. Sanitary pipes were embedded in the pillars of the building.

Sources said a preliminary report by the MC building inspector had also attributed the collapse to structural stability and load-bearing aspect being ignored.

Bawa said: “It was totally unskilled and technical lapse. Otherwise, the building plans, both ground floor and the first floor, were passed by the MC. The structural stability of the building measuring less than 500 sq foot is to be given by the architect. In this case, the building owner was himself acting as a supervisor.”

A Dera Bassi realtor, an old hand in the construction business, said: “The Municipal Council’s role here is limited to approving the building plan. What the owner does thereafter largely goes unchecked as there is a lot of construction going on in this area. The MC may take action against erring individuals only if someone gives a complaint in writing.”