Foundation laid for 2 floors, 2 more added

Tribune News Service
Solan, July 17

A special investigation team (SIT), headed by Parwanoo DSP, began an inquiry into the building collapse which left 14 persons dead near Kumarhatti on Sunday.

DSP Yogesh Rolta said three samples of concrete, including beam, roof and plinth area, had been taken and sent to forensic lab at Junga for ascertaining its quality. Revenue records of the building were also being sought to ascertain the ownership of the multi-storey building.

Information had also been sought from the Town and Country Planning Department regarding the building maps though the area did not fall under the purview of the TCP Department. Since preliminary investigations revealed that a home stay or guest house was being run at its basement, this aspect and its registration were also being inquired into.

Initial investigations, conducted by the revenue staff, revealed that Balbir had bought just one-bigha land and the surrounding land had been encroached upon and the building was constructed on four-bigha land, though no government land was encroached upon. The foundation was laid for two floors only but later two more were raised and the weak pillars could not bear the load of the structure.

It was known that the construction of the building had taken place in bits and pieces since 2013 and the owner Balbir Singh had built two rooms on the top for his residence. It was being ascertained whether Balbir had bought a semi-constructed building or had undertaken its construction himself.

A question mark has been put over the quality of construction material as the NDRF staff, which had undertaken the rescue operation, had also pointed out that the concrete walls had crumbled with ease when heavy earthmoving machines were pressed into service to remove the building rubble, said SDM Rohit Rathore, who was heading a magisterial probe and was part of the over 21-hour rescue operation.

Building material samples taken

A question mark has been put over the quality of construction material as the NDRF staff pointed out that the concrete walls crumbled with ease when heavy earthmoving machines were pressed into service. Samples of concrete have been taken and sent to forensic lab for examination

3 bighas encroached upon

• The owner had bought just one-bigha land. The surrounding land had been encroached upon and the building was constructed on four-bigha land
• Revenue records of the building are being sought to ascertain the ownership of the multi-storey building
• Information has also been sought from the TCP Department regarding the building maps 

Subedar cremated with honours

Solan, July 17

The last rites of Subedar Rajen Bahadur (49), a Nepalese, who was among 13 soldiers who died in a building collapse on Sunday,  were held  at Dharampur today in the presence of senior Army officials from Dagshai and Kasauli cantonments. 

Bahadur’s family, including his wife  Shobha and son Krishna, arrived from Nepal to attend the cremation. The family was inconsolable at the untimely death  of their family member. Krishna lit the pyre with soldiers giving a mournful adieu to the colleague. He was cremated with full military  honours by the Dagshai-based  4 Assam  Regiment.  AC to DC Bhanu Gupta laid the wreath before the body of the deceased soldier on behalf of the  district administration. — TNS