The Times of India         20.11.2013

CCTVs to keep an eye on debris clearance process

KALWA: With an aim to ensure transparency while clearing the debris, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has put up two close-circuit television (CCTVs) at the site of the collapsed Annapurna building in Kalwa.

Owing to two marriages, out of which one took place on Monday and the other scheduled for Wednesday, the families had kept gold jewellery in their houses and the TMC wanted to maintain transparency while clearing the debris to make sure the jewellery was not misplaced.

The Vasta family, where a wedding is scheduled for Wednesday, is happy that they got most of their jewellery back during the clearing drive. The wedding will take place at Bhandup. Adesh Vasta, brother of the bride, said, "Our only concern was to get our jewellery back with the wedding taking place on Wednesday. I am thankful to TMC for being so cooperating. We requested them to be careful while clearing the debris and late on Monday they found our cupboard where the jewellery and the bride's clothes were kept."

The Telange family, where the marriage took place on Monday, has recovered half of their jewellery.

Residents of the building have been moved to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority's ( MMRDA) rental houses at Vartak Nagar.

A TMC official said, "The exact reason of the collapse cannot be established. Built in 1982, it was an old structure or substandard quality was used to build it. The developer of the building, identified as one Chinchankar, is no more. Our priority is to clear the debris as the residents have left behind everything."

A senior police official from Kalwa police station said that no complaint has been registered at present in the building collapse incident.A resident of the collapsed building on condition of anonymity said, "We had purchased an apartment in this building in 1982 at the cost of around Rs 80000. As that time it was under the reigns of gram panchayat. The permission was given only for two floors and the other floors were constructed illegally. Many times several minor repairs were carried out however, the structural audit was not done.

Another resident said, "We have not decided anything with the legal option against the builder as the CM who visited the spot on Monday had assured us for long term solution in terms of rehabilitation. I hope he shall keep his words."

Meanwhile, AMC official Ghanshyam Thorat reportedly fractured his left leg while he was standing besides a dilapidated wall. The rush of media persons led to the crushing of the wall and injured his leg and in now is undergoing treatment at CSM hospital.