New Delhi: The Supreme Court will hear on September 10 the case of death of seven students due to the collapse of a five-storey building in Delhi's Satya Niketan. The apex court said on Tuesday that if needed, it can also transfer the case pending in Delhi High Court to itself.
Supreme Court Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice R. Mahadevan's bench said that the issues related to the Satya Niketan accident are serious. The cases that the Delhi High Court is hearing are related to issues on which the Supreme Court is already hearing at the level of the entire country.
An appeal was made to take up this matter for immediate hearing in the Supreme Court. In fact, the top court is already hearing cases like construction without permission in residential areas, fire safety rules and commercial use of residential buildings in violation of rules.
“We will consider the matter on September 10. This is a serious matter,” the bench said.
Delhi government called the accident very unfortunate
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Delhi government, termed the accident as extremely unfortunate. He said that the government's sympathies are with the children and their parents who lost their lives in the accident.
He told the Supreme Court that the Delhi High Court is already hearing the PIL related to this incident. He also placed the order passed by the High Court on Monday in the records of the Supreme Court.
Court friend inspected the incident site
Court friend and senior advocate Ajit Sinha, appointed in this case by the Supreme Court, said that he has inspected the spot along with an IIT professor and Delhi Municipal Corporation (MCD) officials.
He also filed a report related to the situation at the spot in the Supreme Court and demanded immediate hearing of the case and issuing necessary instructions.
Supreme Court is already hearing such cases
The Supreme Court has already given instructions to the authorities across the country on matters like construction without permission in residential areas, fire safety arrangements and commercial use in violation of the rules of residential places.
The Satya Niketan incident has also come before the Supreme Court because it is related to these issues.
High Court ordered MCD investigation
Delhi High Court on Monday had ordered a high-level MCD inquiry into the Satya Niketan accident. The High Court had also clearly said that the government cannot escape its responsibility.
On Sunday, around 1:30 pm, a five-storey building suddenly collapsed in Satya Niketan near the South Campus of Delhi University. Seven students died in this accident, while five others were injured.
Relief and rescue operations were carried out at the incident site for more than 27 hours, which ended on Monday.
The building was being used as PG
The building where the accident occurred was being used as a paying guest (PG) accommodation for boys.
The police have arrested the owner of the building, his wife and son in the case. Meanwhile, five MCD officials have been suspended.
Also read: MCD woke up after Satya Niketan accident, All buildings in Delhi will be inspected again; In the survey of 28 lakhs, only 19 were declared dangerous.