New Delhi. After the tragic accident in Delhi’s Satya Niketan, Delhi Municipal Corporation has taken major action and suspended five officers of the Building Department, including the Deputy Commissioner of the Southern Region, with immediate effect.
The suspended officers include Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent Engineer (Building), Executive Engineer (Building), Assistant Engineer (Building) and Junior Engineer (Building).
Delhi Mayor Parvesh Wahi took cognizance of the accident on Monday and informed about the corporation’s action. He said that the incident at Satya Niketan is very serious and sad and negligence will not be tolerated at any level. Magistrate inquiry into the matter is also going on.
The Mayor said that at the time of the accident, the building concerned was not marked in the dangerous category, but work was being done in the basement by the building owner.
He said that along with fixing responsibility in this case, necessary steps are also being taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents in future.
He appealed to the people of Delhi not to tamper with the original structure of the building in their homes or business premises.
Making changes to pillars, beams, columns, slabs or other structural parts without expert advice and permission as per rules can pose a serious threat to life and property.
The Mayor clarified that if building bye-laws are violated or a building is constructed with more than four floors, immediate action will be taken as per rules.
He said that if unauthorized construction or other activities are found in any area, accountability of the concerned officers will also be fixed and if negligence is found, strict action will be taken against them.
He said that Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has also taken the Satya Niketan accident seriously and has instructed the concerned officials to prepare necessary new guidelines.
Under the proposed system, action is being taken to make submission of structural audit report mandatory for buildings carrying on commercial activities to ensure structural safety.
According to the Mayor, its objective is to timely assess the additional load or other adverse effects on the building due to commercial activities and to prevent accidents.
Strict instructions have also been issued regarding the safety of under-construction and dilapidated buildings in the north-west area of Delhi Municipal Corporation. Building owners and builders at all construction sites have been instructed to carry out the construction work as per the approved building plan and to compulsorily follow the prescribed safety standards and measures.
The Mayor said that the Corporation has instructed all concerned officials to conduct a fresh survey of dangerous and dilapidated buildings.
Officials have been asked to identify such buildings which may pose a threat to the life and property of citizens. After seriously assessing the condition of the identified buildings, immediate action will be taken under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act and other applicable rules.
He said that the objective of the corporation is not only to take action after the accident, but also to identify possible accidents and prevent them in advance. For this, priority is being given to monitoring of buildings, action against unauthorized construction and identification of dilapidated buildings.
The Mayor said that negligence will not be tolerated at any level in matters related to building security. Officials have been instructed to ensure strict adherence to building construction and safety related rules in their respective areas and to take action as per rules without any pressure if violations are found.
He said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Delhi Government and Delhi Municipal Corporation are working together on matters related to the safety of citizens and public interest.
To prevent recurrence of an incident like Satya Niketan, strict steps are being taken by the corporation administration and accountability of those violating the rules as well as negligent officers will also be ensured.