Deccan Herald 21.08.2013
BBMP to raze collapsed building
The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike
(BBMP) will raze the building which collapsed at Someshwaranagar on
Monday, with assistance from a Hyderabad firm.
Rescue operations by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services were completed by Tuesday evening.
As
narrow lanes leading to the accident site are likely to impede the
movement of heavy machines, the Palike has decided to rope in the
Hyderabad firm. It has expertise in demolishing such structures without
affecting neighbouring buildings. The firm will send a team with
machines and tools in 12 hours, Palike sources said.
height of 60 feet. “It works in a slow but diligent manner. To flatten
the Someshwaranagar building, it may take at least three to four weeks,”
a BBMP official said.
Meanwhile, two more bodies have been recovered.
People
living in the vicinity have alleged that the building collapse has
already caused irreparable damage to their houses. They apprehended that
rescue operations would do further damage.
Shivkumar, who lives
next to the apartment complex, said he had a close shave on Monday. He
was going to take a bath when his wife Lakshmi observed large cracks in
the wall of his first-floor apartment. Shivkumar ran out of the house
immediately with his family. “We are yet to return. The BBMP is
responsible and it has to compensate for the damage to our buildings,”
he said.
Fears that the rescue operations could further damage
the adjacent buildings came true on Tuesday, as the wall of a house next
to the apartment complex collapsed, injuring the owner.
Rescue
workers had dumped seven truckloads of mud next to the apartment complex
to facilitate functioning of an excavator. Krishnappa said he had
repeatedly objected to the piling of mud next to his house.
He
feared that it might weaken the walls. His fears came true when rescue
workers observed cracks in a wall against which the mud was piled up.
They immediately instructed the residents to evacuate the house.
Krishnappa
told Deccan Herald that as he was moving out materials from the room,
the wall collapsed on him. He sustained a head injury. He was admitted
to hospital and discharged later in the day.
He said BBMP
officials were responsible for the accident as they failed to check
illegal construction even after repeated alerts by the neighbours. He
said the BBMP officials should give it in writing that the neighbours
will be compensated for any damage.
Protests and chaos delayed the rescue operations by at least three hours on Tuesday.
