The Hindu 08.02.2010

Building collapse: ‘disastrous’ management plan

Marri Ramu

HYDERABAD: The preparedness of the government to manage disasters came under scanner as lack of equipment and conflicting orders from officials delayed debris removal work after a five-floor building collapsed at Narayanguda two days ago.

Contradictory decisions from different officials on where to begin debris removal work pointed out the absence of a unified command and a disaster management plan. There was indecisiveness on all matters, including whether to use poclains or cranes to remove the rubble.

If one officer wanted to pull down the concrete slab first, another preferred to send rescue teams inside to see if there were any survivors.

The huge crowds of people and groups of media personnel, no doubt, affected rescue operations. But, even after cordoning off the area, the official machinery was at sea on how to proceed with the debris clearance work without harming those trapped inside.

The medical emergency teams from EMRI, GHMC workers, police personnel were working independent of each other only ending up in confusion. Top officials of all departments were present but there was no single co-ordinating authority to make concerted efforts.

Tools like crow-bars and gas cutters to remove the debris could not be secured on time.

Even basic support equipments like oxygen masks were not kept ready. They had no advanced cameras that help make out movements of persons trapped under debris.

Interestingly, the Collapsed Structured Search and Rescue (CSSR) team from Central Industrial Security Force that was called in brought night-vision infra-red camera along with it. They had special fast response medical personnel and specialised tools to pull debris and worked under a single commanding officer. The CSSR team personnel carried a camera that can be slid even through a small gap of even few centimetre radius. After sending the camera through a cylindrical pipe, the operator can pan it in 360 degrees using a remote.

On the contrary, the State government officials could not immediately arrange even flood lights at the building collapse site to continue the debris clearance work in the night.

They managed to retrieve all bodies by Friday midnight, but work to remove the debris extended to Saturday evening.

The Times of India 05.02.2010

Sewerage treatment plant projects pick up speed

Manvinder Singh, TNN, 4 February 2010, 10:29pm IST

LUDHIANA: With pressure mounting on municipal corporation (MC) to increase the capacity of its sewerage treatment plants (STP) at Balloke and Bhattian for catering to the daily sewerage waste of the city, apart from ensuring zero discharge in Buddha Nullah, it has expedited the ongoing work on the project.

Under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), the civic body received a grant of Rs 241.69 crore from Union government to lay down sewerage pipes and increase the capacity of already existing STPs.

Out of this amount, Rs 100 crore has to be spent on updating STPs at Balloke and Bhattian and the remaining amount would be used for installing new pipes.

Sources in MC said the plant at Balloke has a capacity of 152 million litre per day (MLD), which is to be increased by 105 MLD. Besides, the one at Bhattian is of 111 MLD capacity, which would be upped to 161 MLD.

The report that is to be submitted to the principal secretary of environment department on Friday mentions that MC has already completed 40% work on both the plants and they are expected to wrap up the project by the end of February 2011. The document also states that MC has spent Rs 30 crore on the venture as it would prove beneficial in solving the sewerage problem.

Senior deputy mayor Praveen Bansal said the project would also ensure zero discharge into Buddha Nullah.