<p>Bengaluru: A day after a fire in Nagarathpet killed five people, Deputy Chief Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/dk-shivakumar">DK Shivakumar</a> vowed to act against illegal constructions in Bengaluru.</p>.<p>On Sunday, he visited the five-storey building in Thigalarpet and directed officials to identify and serve notices on owners of weak and unscientific structures.</p>.<p>He said many owners had built eight to nine floors instead of the permitted two or three.</p>.<p>"So many buildings are unfit for human habitation. Demolishing them is a different matter. We first need to conduct a survey. It is really scary to look inside these buildings. It has become very difficult to go up the stairs and come down in the congested area,” he told reporters outside his residence in Sadashivanagar.</p>.Activists in Bengaluru oppose Supreme Court’s stray dog order.<p>He added: “We will first ensure these buildings are secure. We cannot demolish them immediately, but owners will be asked to repair them. If not, we will take action. Palike officials have been asked to issue notices.”</p>.<p>When reporters pointed out that areas like Chickpet and Nagarathpet, though residential, have turned commercial, he said, “This reflects poverty. If we strictly follow fire safety regulations, all such buildings will have to be demolished.”</p>.<p>“Many buildings are so poorly constructed that you cannot even access the upper floors. The fire was caused by a short circuit. The victims were all from Rajasthan. Regardless of where they are from, they came here to build a life,” he said.</p>.<p>He claimed nearly 70% of Bengaluru’s buildings are illegal, with owners in new BDA layouts also adding extra floors.</p>.<p>The government, he said, had stopped four lakh water and electricity connections due to the lack of occupancy certificates, in line with a Supreme Court order. “In the Cabinet, we will discuss giving exemptions to 30x40 feet plots with two floors,” he added.</p>.<p>Shivakumar said negligent owners would face action. “It is not a one-day task; it will take years. Delhi and Mumbai face similar problems. The government has registered criminal cases against negligent building owners, and the owners of the building where the fire broke out have been arrested,” he said.</p>.<p>The government has announced Rs 5 lakh compensation to the families of each victim.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: A day after a fire in Nagarathpet killed five people, Deputy Chief Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/dk-shivakumar">DK Shivakumar</a> vowed to act against illegal constructions in Bengaluru.</p>.<p>On Sunday, he visited the five-storey building in Thigalarpet and directed officials to identify and serve notices on owners of weak and unscientific structures.</p>.<p>He said many owners had built eight to nine floors instead of the permitted two or three.</p>.<p>"So many buildings are unfit for human habitation. Demolishing them is a different matter. We first need to conduct a survey. It is really scary to look inside these buildings. It has become very difficult to go up the stairs and come down in the congested area,” he told reporters outside his residence in Sadashivanagar.</p>.Activists in Bengaluru oppose Supreme Court’s stray dog order.<p>He added: “We will first ensure these buildings are secure. We cannot demolish them immediately, but owners will be asked to repair them. If not, we will take action. Palike officials have been asked to issue notices.”</p>.<p>When reporters pointed out that areas like Chickpet and Nagarathpet, though residential, have turned commercial, he said, “This reflects poverty. If we strictly follow fire safety regulations, all such buildings will have to be demolished.”</p>.<p>“Many buildings are so poorly constructed that you cannot even access the upper floors. The fire was caused by a short circuit. The victims were all from Rajasthan. Regardless of where they are from, they came here to build a life,” he said.</p>.<p>He claimed nearly 70% of Bengaluru’s buildings are illegal, with owners in new BDA layouts also adding extra floors.</p>.<p>The government, he said, had stopped four lakh water and electricity connections due to the lack of occupancy certificates, in line with a Supreme Court order. “In the Cabinet, we will discuss giving exemptions to 30x40 feet plots with two floors,” he added.</p>.<p>Shivakumar said negligent owners would face action. “It is not a one-day task; it will take years. Delhi and Mumbai face similar problems. The government has registered criminal cases against negligent building owners, and the owners of the building where the fire broke out have been arrested,” he said.</p>.<p>The government has announced Rs 5 lakh compensation to the families of each victim.</p>