Sawan Park building collapse
The North Delhi Municipal Corporation discontinued the contract of an engineer while suspended two others in connection with the collapse of a five-storey "weak" building in Ashok Vihar in which seven people perished, officials said Thursday.
While an executive engineer and an assistant engineer have been suspended, the contract of a junior engineer has been terminated, according to an official order.
The building collapsed Wednesday, three weeks after the 20-year-old structure was "inspected" by a municipal team following complaints, according to police.
"Under the orders of the competent authority, Rajesh Sharma, Executive Engineer (M)-II/Keshav Puram Zone is hereby placed under suspension with immediate effect pending inquiry against him," said the order issued by the NDMC's Vigilance Department.
The order issued late Wednesday also said that he will be paid subsistence allowance during the suspension period as admissible under the rules.
"Under the orders of the competent authority, Abhay Jain, Assistant Engineer (Civil) presently posted in the office of EE (M)-II Keshav Puram Zone is hereby placed under suspension with immediate effect pending inquiry against him," said another order issued by the NDMC's Vigilance Department.
The area falls under the Keshav Puram Zone of the BJP-led civic body.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari and North Delhi Mayor Adesh
Gupta had visited the accident site at Sawan Park Wednesday.
Gupta had ordered a detailed inquiry into the incident, saying "strict action" will be taken against the guilty.
While police claimed that the building was inspected 20 days ago following complaints to the municipal body that it was in "dangerous" condition, the NDMC claimed that the building was not declared "dangerous" and it had not received any complaint against it.
The civic body, however, admitted that the building was about 20-25 years old and its structure was "weak" and in a "deteriorated condition" while asserting that no new construction activity or construction material was found at the site.
The Delhi government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident, and police registered a case under IPC Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), punishable with a maximum jail term of 10 years, against the owner Dharmender, his business partner Sachin and Sachin's father Roshan Lal, who had rented out the building in Ashok Vihar. All the accused are on the run.
