Pune wall collapse HIGHLIGHTS: 15 killed, builders booked for culpable homicide

The residents of Alcon Stylus alleged that they had cautioned the developer of the housing society about the dagerous condition of the retaining wall of one of the buildings five monthe ago, however, no action was taken, PTI reported.

"We had a meeting on February 16 with Vivek Agarwal (a partner at Alcon Landmarks) over the pending works. We highlighted the condition of the wall, told him that it was tilting outward and its construction quality was not satisfactory," PTI quoted a resident of the housing society as saying. 

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar condoled the death of 15 people and announced ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the families of each of the deceased, PTI reported. A statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office in Patna said Kumar has expressed "deep sorrow over the wall collapse at Kondhwa in Pune and condoled the death of 15 people from Katihar district in Bihar".

A case of culpable homicide has been registered against the developers of two residential projects, site engineers and labour contractors, PTI quoted an officer.

Pune Mumnisipal Corporation commissioner Saurabh Rao said the incident took place between 1.30 am and 1.45 am at Kondhwa. He said prima facie, it appears the soil may have loosened due to heavy rain coupled with the excavation work that was carried out "irresponsibly" close to the retaining wall of the housing society. The intensity of the impact increased as many cars parked along the wall inside the society too fell on the shanties, officials said.

"Deep excavation work was going on at the site adjacent to the Alcon Stylus society. The retaining wall which caved in was located between the under-construction site and the housing society," Rao said.

Pune MP Girish Bapat and district's guardian minister Chandrakant Patil chat with survivor Bimal Sharma at the wall collapse site. 

Sharma, who survived the accident with minor injuries, said he was saved due to a tree trunk as the stones and vehicles which came sliding from above were stopped by the tree. He started shouting for help as loud as he could. People from nearby societies rushed to his help and rescued him from behind the tree. He lost his younger brother in the incident.

(Express photo)

Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao also expressed grief over the incident. "I was deeply saddened to know about the death of innocent workers, including women and children in the incident of collapse of a compound wall of a residential complex in Pune. Every life lost in incident was precious. My heart goes out to the kin of all those who lost their loved ones, and wish speedy recovery to the injured," he said in a statement.

Maharashtra Minister Chandrakant Patil and NCP leader Supriya Sule visited the site of #PuneWallCollapse, today. 15 people had died in the incident. #Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/miXen3XchB

— ANI (@ANI) June 29, 2019

Maharashtra Minister Chandrakant Patil said, NDRF will give compensation to families of the deceased with Rs 4 lakh for each victim. "Fifteen people who died were from Bihar. NDRF will give compensation to families of deceased, Rs 4 lakh for each victim. Collector will prepare preliminary investigation report in another few hrs, a committee has also been formed," said Patil. 

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar expresses grief at the loss of lives of 15 people, hailing from Katihar, in the Pune wall collapse incident. Kumar has announced ex-gratia Rs 2 lakh each to the next of the kin of the deceased and a compensation of Rs 50,000 to the injured. (ANI)

Maharashtra Revenue Minister and Pune Guardian Minister Chandrakant Patil said that a committee has been constituted to probe the incident and the mandate would be to look into everybody at the construction site. "The three-member committee has been given the mandate to look into who were the developers, architects, structural engineers involved at the said construction site and the one next to it. It will also look into how these labourers were brought to the site and if all the adequate procedures were completed for their employment," he said.

The committee, comprising an additional collector, a police officer and one municipal officer, will submit a report within 24 hours. Further action will be taken after the submission of the report.

Bimal Sharma, who survived the accident with minor injuries, said he was saved due to a tree trunk as the stones and vehicles which came sliding from above were stopped by the tree. He started shouting for help as loud as he could. People from nearby societies rushed to his help and rescued him from behind the tree. He lost his younger brother in the incident.

Team of NDRF carrying out search and rescue operations at the site of the wall collapse in Pune’s Kondhwa.

Among the deceased are 10 men, one woman and four children — three boys and one girl. Three persons, two men and one woman, were taken out alive and are being treated at a hospital for multiple serious injuries. The Maharashtra government is coordinating with the Bihar government for helping families of the deceased.

Maharashtra Congress chief and former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan also expressed his grief over the incident and urged the state government to extend all the help to the families of the dead and injured. Chavan said an inquiry should be carried out "so that the guilty can be punished". (PTI)

Maharashtra Revenue Minister and Pune Guardian Minister Chandrakant Patil said, ”Most of the deceased are from Bihar and we are coordinating with the state government there for helping families. A compensation of Rs 4 lakh per deceased person has been announced from the National Disaster Relief Fund to the family members.” 

Patil further added, “A committee comprising of an additional collector, a police officer and one municipal officer has been formed to probe the incident and has been asked to submit a primary report within 24 hours. Based on the report, further legal action will be taken.” 

All the corporators of the electoral panel along with mayor Tilak rushed to the spot in the morning. "The builder is responsible for constructing such a weak boundary wall and should be held responsible for the death of labours. The developers in city construct tall buildings but construct very weak boundary walls and the civic administration turn a blind eye to it," said NCP corporator Nanda Lonkar.

MNS corporator Sainath Babar said that the civic administration was negligent in performing their duties. "The PMC staff only gives permission but thereafter never carry out a site visit to check the work being done by the developer," he said.

Mayor Tilak called the incident 'unfortunate' and said that the incident happened because of excess excavation in the area. "The incident was unfortunate and action would be taken against all those responsible for it. Prima facie it seems there was excess excavation done at the construction site alongside the compound wall," she said.

She further said that both the developers, who had constructed the boundary wall and the one who had taken new construction, were responsible and action would be taken against them. "The civic staff incharge of construction activities in the area would also face action," said Tilak.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has issued a stop work order for the ongoing construction where 15 labourers were killed due to the collapse of a boundary wall.

Mayor Mukta Tilak confirmed the 'stop work notice' issued to the ongoing construction site and also assured that action will be taken against all those responsible. "The incident was unfortunate and action would be taken against all those responsible for it. Prima facie it seems there was excess excavation done at the construction site alongside the compound wall. The municipal commissioner and district collector has been asked to provide all necessary help to the kin of deceased and injured labours," she said.

Wall collapses after heavy rains in Pune, 15 killed several feared trapped. All 15, belonging to families of labourers, were housed in temporary shelters built at the site in Talab Masjid. All the people who were sleeping in the huts were trapped under the collapsed wall and the soil behind.

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Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis wrote on Twitter:

Extremely saddened to know about loss of lives in the Kondhwa, Pune wall collapse incident.
My deepest condolences to the families and prying for speedy recovery of the injured.
Directed Pune Collector to conduct an in-depth enquiry.

— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) June 29, 2019

The incident is being investigated and strict action will be taken against those responsible said the Pune police commissioner to ANI. "Our team is investigating the reasons behind the incident. Firm action will be taken against those responsible. We will check whether proper permissions were taken and safety measures were followed," said Pune police commissioner K Venkatesham on Kondhwa wall collapse.

Rescue operation being carried out by a team of NDRF, Pune Fire Deparment, Pune Municipal Corporation and with the help of some locals.#KondhwaWallCollapse

Follow LIVE updateshttps://t.co/C8TOp8HU4w pic.twitter.com/58OZUwPM6z

— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) June 29, 2019

Details of victims rescued/recovered at Kondhwa wall collapse incident in Pune:
* Three people rescued alive; two males and a female 
* 15 bodies recovered

Out of these two bodies were recovered by NDRF. Rest were rescued/recovered by Pune Municipal Corporation fire department and the locals.

With 73 mm of rain, Pune experienced its second wettest June day since 2009, between the mornings of June 27 and June 28, even as moderate rainfall continued over the city throughout Friday. Between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm on Friday, the rainfall recorded in the city was 25.3 mm. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has maintained that similar rainfall activity will continue over the state till June 30. Read more here

According to police, the incident took place at a construction site near Talab Masjid in Kondhwa, where tin houses were built for the labourers working at the construction site. After a spell of heavy rains on Friday, at midnight the compound wall of the site collapsed on the huts. People who were sleeping inside were trapped. At least 15 people including four children have been killed, all are families of labourers working at the construction site.

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