Illegal under-construction building collapses, 5 labourers buried under debris in Patiala

Tribune News Service
Patiala, June 3

As many as five labourers were buried under debris after an under-construction building adjacent to the New Sabzi mandi at the Sanauri adda collapsed to the ground in Patiala on Thursday afternoon.

Those buried were pulled out after about two hours and rushed to the government Rajindra Hospital.

Onlookers said the building spread in an area over 500 square yards had been under-construction since many days.

“The first floor of the building was being constructed when the building gave away. They started the work of laying the reinforced cement concrete roof only today at about 11 am,” Parminder Singh, a worker at an adjacent site, said.

While the owners and contractors were not available, MC officials said the work was being carried out illegally.

The building was being constructed on a land on lease.

Interestingly, the site is adjacent to a nullah which was covered by the Municipal Corporation recently.

Also, the incident took place within a month of collapse of another illegally constructed roof adjacent to a nullah.

The matter has raised questions over the working of Municipal Corporation’s team of the building branch.

Political leaders in the city said illegal works of construction have been going on in the city under the very nose of the Municipal Corporation’s officials of the building branch and area councillors.

They said, “Junior officials do not report the illegal construction. Those involved are not taken to task. Minor action after issuance of a notice is taken only after uproar.”

Amarinder Singh Bazaz, former Municipal mayor said, “Illegal construction is on the rise. Hundreds of buildings have been constructed illegally. It is happening with the connivance of MC officials.”

Meanwhile, officials of the building branch including the ATPs and STP were not available for comment despite repeated attempts.

Municipal Commissioner Poonamdeep Kaur when contacted said, “We had issued demolition orders for the under-construction site. A drive had been carried out on May 19 and 20 after which the action was directed. Before this, they were issued multiple notices as well. The building along with another set of shops adjacent to it will be razed in two to three days.”