Delhi minister denies building owner’s claim
By IANSWednesday, November 17, 2010
NEW DELHI - Delhi Finance Minister A.K. Walia Wednesday denied an allegation that the owner of a building which collapsed in east Delhi, killing 67 people earlier this week, had informed him about water stagnation in its basement.
The stagnant water in the building’s basement is said to have led to the caving-in Monday night.
Building owner Amrit Singh has been arrested for culpable homicide not amounting to murder for the deaths caused by the building collapse.
During his court appearance Monday, Singh told reporters that he had informed Delhi ministers and met Walia, who is the area legislator, about the water stagnation in the basement.
In an official statement, Walia described Singh’s statement as mischievous and far from the truth.
The statement added that the Singh had no meeting with Walia during recent months hence there is no question of his informing Walia about the accumulation of water in the basement.
The five-storeyed building, which housed migrant families from Bihar and West Bengal, was located in the congested Lalita Park locality near the Yamuna river in east Delhi.
