Estate Office to remove debris from site

Rajinder Nagarkoti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 27

Nearly eight months after the devastating fire at the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT), that left two firemen dead when the building collapsed, the UT Estate Office has now decided to remove the debris from the site.

Earlier, the Estate Office had asked the owners of the property to remove the debris, but to no avail.

Confirming the development, Assistant Estate Officer (AEO) Upkar Singh said the Estate Office would now remove the debris from the site. After removing the debris, the Estate Office would recover the charges from the building owners, he said. Sources said the building owners had also communicated to the Estate Office that they lacked the expertise to remove the debris as it could damage the adjoining building.

Last year, a structural safety expert and former PEC Professor, Dr IC Syal, in his report to the DC, had advised the UT to remove the debris after taking precautionary measures. A committee headed by a former ADC, Tanvi Garg, had failed to give the reasons that led to the mishap. The committee held six meetings, the last one on July 15 last year.