With high-rise buildings and multi-storeyed structures collapsing like ninepins across the city, killing innocent people over the last few days, experts say that there is an immediate need for BBMP engineers to regularly inspect construction sites and issue occupancy certificates after a thorough check. The authorities should be extra careful with structures coming up in marshy areas, near tank beds and storm water drains, they said.
BBMP building by-laws should be amended and enforced strictly. The responsibility for the collapse of under-construction buildings and newly completed ones should be fixed on engineers from respective wards, town planning engineers and officers, said Mr D.S. Rajshekar, past president of Citizens’ Action Forum (CAF).
To prove that the BBMP will not take such lackadaisical attitude lightly, erring engineers should be dismissed from service and imprisoned for at least a month with a hefty penalty. “Unless such deterrence is brought in within the administration, especially in a city like Bengaluru where buildings have been collapsing regularly, such disasters cannot be stopped,” he warned.
“Just a transfer or suspension of erring officials is no punishment at all. Several precious lives have been lost and their dependents thrown on the streets with paltry sums as compensation. The authorities should realise that money cannot bring back the dead person,” he said.
Citizens, especially builders and owners, have become greedy. They too should be held accountable, he felt.
No building can come up overnight and no building can be built without the unholy nexus of BBMP authorities and owners and builders. BBMP engineers are solely responsible for allowing illegal and unauthorised constructions across Bengaluru, activists said.
“BBMP engineers are taking advantage of loopholes in the law and making a quick buck. The Karnataka Municipal Corporation (KMC) Act has no provision to fix the responsibility on the engineers for allowing unauthorised constructions. Erring engineers go scot-free. Had the responsibility been fixed on engineers and they were penalised, unauthorised constructions could have been checked,” pointed out Mr Mukund, a member of the Jayanagar Initiative.
BBMP ward engineers have a strong network, so much so that even if a truckload of sand or cement is moved, it comes to their notice. But they quietly let the structure to come up, whether legal or not, and once the building is half-done, the engineers come to the spot and demand the plan approved by the BBMP. They raise objections over building violations with the full knowledge that the owner or builder will be in no position to bring down or alter the building to adhere to the rules. They then strike a deal with the owners, take bribes and allow the builders to complete the construction, he said.
“It is the fundamental duty of the BBMP to ensure that no unauthorised constructions come up and citizens adhere to by-laws while building structures. Engineers have to allow the construction by issuing Commencement Certificate (CC) and once the construction is over, they should issue Occupancy Certificate (OC) to certify that the building is fit for occupying for residential or commercial activity. Even Bescom and BWSSB authorities should demand the occupancy certificate before providing them the service. Keeping regular tabs brings deterrence among citizens and stop them from resorting to unauthorised constructions,” Mr Mukund said.
Lack of enforcement in provisions of the act and law leads to disaster and chaos. Violation of rules leads to haphazard growth and disasters, he said.
‘Unfortunate, erring engineers not held accountable’
As the number of buildings collapsing in the city has increased, Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun is keen to take the issue forward and fix responsibility on erring engineers and town planners, after holding a debate in the BBMP Council. Here are excerpts from an interview.
What is the reason behind the collapse of two buildings at Cooke town? Have you received the investigation report?
Prima facie, it was the improper or sub-standard foundation at a marshy area that led to the disaster, killing five people. The investigation report that I have sought is yet to come. I will initiate action based on the report.
Will you fix responsibility on officials, who always go scot-free after such disasters?
It is unfortunate and sad that responsibility is not fixed on any officials and no punishment is handed out. I will keep the debate open in the next BBMP Council meeting on fixing the responsibility and accountability on officials. It helps to arrive at a consensus and once done, we can send it to the state government.
What instructions have you issued to engineers and town planners?
As a mayor, I have directed town planners and ward engineers to be more concerned and responsible by visiting construction sites and seeking sanctioned building plans and soil test reports for multi-storeyed structures. Only after reviewing them, they should allow the construction of buildings.
BBMP commissioner asks officials to prepare a list of illegal structures
The BBMP seems to have woken up to the danger of unauthorised buildings and deviations from sanctioned plans that could lead to disasters. BBMP Commissioner N. Manjunath Prasad has issued an order directing engineers concerned to identity structures and buildings that pose a danger to the lives of people across BBMP limits. He has made it clear that the responsibility will be fixed on engineers, contractors and building owners for any tragedy or disaster involving loss of property, public or private, and lives. He has threatened to file criminal cases against those responsible for disasters.
Mr Prasad has directed engineers to inspect the stability, strength and deviations, if any, of under-construction buildings, prepare a monthly report and submit it to the BBMP commissioner regularly.
Mr Prasad has told officials to prepare a registry on the action initiated on buildings that are built in contravention of the sanctioned building plan. Directing the officials to maintain the hierarchy at all the eight zones, he has asked assistant engineers to prepare and submit the registry to assistant executive engineers, who in-turn submit it to executive engineers after compilation. Finally, the engineer-in-chief must have all the details, Mr Prasad said.
He has also sought information on notices served on demolition of unauthorised constructions.
