Blame game on: Sheila asks MCD,cops to think

“We sent them (the house owners) a stop-work notice on September 16. Despite this,the construction was on. A detailed and comprehensive inquiry report is expected in three days,” he said.

A copy of a stop-work notice,MCD officials said,is also sent to the police station under whose jurisdiction unsafe construction is spotted and police are required to ensure it is stopped.

Police,however,have denied receiving any official communication from the MCD.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Northern range) Sudhir Yadav said,“We have not received any complaint from (MCD) official,but have a copy of the letter given to the owner of the building,on September 16,asking him to stop the illegal construction… We cannot take action on this.”

He said,based on the letter received,police had gone to the spot on September 25 and asked the contractor and owner to not carry out any illegal activities. “Police’s role was limited in this case,” he said.

A senior MCD official claimed: “The area police is expected to monitor all constructions that are put on stop-work notice. If in this case the construction wasn’t stopped,then the police is also responsible.”

When asked about the tragedy,Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said both police and MCD must introspect and find out who was at fault.

“I don’t want to point fingers at anybody,but those who are responsible for the incident,be it MCD or police,must take responsibility and take corrective steps,” she said.

Asked about illegal constructions in the area,she said it was “certainly a major issue” and there was a need for finding a solution to it.

She said the Delhi government will provide a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of those killed and Rs 50,000 for those seriously injured in the collapse.

In case of the death of a child,the relatives will get Rs 1 lakh,while children orphaned in the tragedy will receive Rs 1 lakh each,she said.