BJP under fire over wall collapse

House discusses illegal structures in city

The issue of unauthorised construction returned to haunt the Delhi Assembly after five children died when an illegally constructed wall collapsed in Dallupura in east Delhi on Wednesday.

Though BJP legislators were marshalled out of the House on Wednesday, Speaker Yoganand Shastri suspended the Question Hour to take up the wall collapse issue for discussion.

While concluding the debate, urban development minister Arvinder Singh blamed the municipal corporations for dereliction of duty, and promised to take action against the guilty.

Singh said a magisterial inquiry under the deputy commissioner (revenue) has been launched to look into the incident, and the MCD divisional commissioner will also probe the alleged negligence by the corporation.

“Whether the officials belong to the city government or the municipalities, action will be taken against those found responsible for this incident,” Singh said.

The government will give a compensation of Rs 1 lakh each to the families of the victims, and Rs 50,000 to the injured, he added.

It is the responsibility of municipal corporations to check illegal constructions. But the BJP-ruled civic bodies have failed to do so, he alleged.

“Whether construction is taking place in an urban village, Lal Dora land, farmhouse or a posh colony, unauthorised colony or a regularised colony, it is the municipalities’ responsibility to stop any illegal construction. But time and again civic bodies have failed in doing their duty,” said Singh.

Congress and independent MLAs also blamed Delhi Police and municipalities for not checking illegal structures.

“Not a brick can be laid on any lane in the city without the knowledge and payment to police. To blame municipalities for this is not enough. Police should be held responsible for the nuisance,” said Rashtriya Lok Dal MLA Shoib Iqbal.

“Our commitment not to allow such incidents to recur should be the real compensation to the victims,” he said.

Okhla independent MLA Mohammad Asif told the government to take responsibility for the incident.

“The government cannot blame municipalities or police. It has the power to check illegal construction,” said Asif.

The area sub-division magistrate and the deputy commissioner have the power to stop any construction if it is not as per norms. I must say that checking illegal construction is everybody’s responsibility,” said Asif.