The SOPs mandate strict monitoring and daily inspection of wards and where unauthorised construction is detected. “The sub-assistant engineers are supposed to go out in the field to detect unauthorised construction every day. After the detection of an unauthorised structure, a ‘stop work’ notice under Section 40I of the KMC Act, 1980, is to be served with a copy of the occupancy certificate to the concerned police station to take necessary action,” said an official.
As per the list of SOPs, assistant engineers are required to get FIRs lodged if the “unauthorised construction continues defying stop work notice”. In case of a delay in action, the matter may be brought to the notice of higher-level officials which will then be forwarded to the Municipal Commissioner “for further communication” to the Commissioner of Police ‘to issue directions to the concerned police station”. Separate guidelines will be circulated for filing reports based on daily inspections and the action taken on a mobile app, officials added.
The move comes after the toll in the building collapse incident reached 12 on Saturday night following the death of a woman rescued from the site. The woman, Mariyam Bibi (85), was initially admitted to a private hospital on Paharpur Road in Garden Reach and was later shifted to SSKM Hospital on Wednesday, where she succumbed to her injuries.
On March 18, a five-storey under-construction building collapsed in Azhar Mullah Bagan in Garden Reach area, killing 11 people and leaving several injured. Kolkata Police later arrested the building’s promoter Mohammad Wassi. According to reports, the builders did not have the required permission to construct five floors and poor quality material was used in its construction.
The KMC has also formed a seven-member committee to investigate the incident and has also issued showcause notices to some engineers and building owners.
These notices require them to explain why action shouldn’t be taken against them over their alleged involvement in illegal construction.
On Saturday, a team of experts from Jadavpur University visited the spot and collected samples used for the constructions of these buildings. The team also examined other under-construction buildings in the area. As per police, a report from the experts will help in finding out the cause of the collapse and what kind of materials were being used in the construction of the building.
Meanwhile, the state government is likely to provide alternative accommodation to those displaced due to the building collapse under its ‘Bangla Bari’ scheme, sources said. Under the scheme, underprivileged people with at least 500 square feet (sq ft) land get Rs 3.48 lakh from the state for constructing a house.