Building collapse toll 69, political blame game goes on (Night Lead)

NEW DELHI - Three days after a building collapsed in east Delhi, the toll has risen to 69, and political recriminations have broken out in full force over the tragedy, while authorities have yet to make arrangements for hundreds of people who have been asked to vacate their homes in dangerous buildings.

The debris of the ground floor is being carefully removed from the site of the five-storey building in Lalita Park which caved in at 8.15 p.m. Monday. Since then, rescue workers have been able to get out 69 bodies from the rubble, with 82 injured being treated in hospitals.

The blame game between the Congress-ruled Delhi government and the BJP-majority Municipal Corporation of Delhi, which has been building up, flared up in the MCD Thursday when Congress and BJP councillors clashed at the meeting of the standing committee.

The Delhi government had blamed the MCD for not stopping the five-storey illegal structure, and also for not noticing the water in the basement for the last two months.

The role of politicians in the nexus between builders and bureaucracy was brought to the fore by a senior MCD official, albeit to score political points.

“Political pressure often stops MCD officials from not allowing unauthorised constructions to be checked. If politicians work with honesty, such things can be prevented,” said MCD standing committee chairman and BJP leader Yogender Chandolia.

“That political pressure works is clear from the fact that the builder Amrit Pal Singh, who was arrested in the case, named Delhi Finance Minister A.K Walia. The area MP, MLA (legislator) and councillor are all from Congress,” he added.

Chandolia also accused the state government of trying to save the guilty by ordering a probe, that will take three months.

Walia, who is also the area legislator, has claimed that he had never met Amrit Pal Singh, leave alone being informed by him about the water in the building’s basement.

Meanwhile, with no arrangements still in place for evacuated residents, only two out of 38 unsafe buildings given notice for evacuation have been vacated so far Thursday.

The 24-hour notice was given by the MCD after a survey of Lalita Park and adjoiining colonies Wednesday, which found that the river water had entered the foundations of these 38 buildings.

The MCD, however, has been forced to go slow, as it conceded a day later that there has been no alternative arrangements made for the residents. Chandolia said only two out of the 38 buildings have been vacated so far.

After three days, our officials will make a survey of the buildings to see how they can be made safe, he said.

The MCD admitted that it has not made any immediate arrangements for the affected people’s accommodation as it is the chief responsibility of the Delhi government’s divisional commissioner (revenue).

“If they need immediate replacement, MCD can allow them to stay in the community centres nearby, but we have not decided upon it yet,” Chandolia added.

The state of the residents of the first three buildings which were evacuated Tuesday, does not inspire confidence that the government will be ready with alternate arrangements, residents say.

According to them, they are living in filthy conditions at the community hall in Laxmi Nagar. “We have no food or other basic supply here … about hundred people are just packed in. Worst is that the dead bodies are being brought here,” said Sandhya Haldar, one of the evacuated residents.