|
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of the tragic collapse of an under-construction warehouse in the Taratala area of Kolkata, West Bengal, which claimed the lives of at least five labourers and left twenty others injured.
The incident occurred on June 24, when a concrete casting of an iron structure suddenly gave way, trapping an estimated 12 to 15 workers beneath a mountain of debris. Allegations have since emerged indicating that the sanctioned building plan for the warehouse was deeply faulty. Observing that the reports point to a severe violation of human rights, the Commission has issued formal notices to three top West Bengal officials: The Chief Secretary, Kolkata Police Commissioner and Kolkata Municipal Commissioner. The NHRC has demanded a detailed report within two weeks, which must outline the current status of the criminal investigation, the structural failures involved, and details regarding financial compensation paid to the injured workers and the next of kin of the deceased. In the wake of the disaster, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that administrative and legal machinery had already been set into motion. Six individuals have been arrested so far, and the Lalbazar Crime Branch is leading the investigation under the direct supervision of the Kolkata Police Commissioner. "The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will blacklist the architect and planner responsible for the project," Chief Minister Adhikari stated, warning that absolute strictness will be maintained against anyone found complicit in the negligence. Addressing the tragedy, Sushil Mohta, the President of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India (CREDAI) Bengal, expressed deep condolences over the loss of lives while distancing organised developers from the incident. Mohta emphasised that certified industry players operate under rigorous safety mandates: Members strictly adhere to national building codes, local zoning laws, and industry rules; Standard procedures require exhaustive soil testing and formal recommendations from geotechnical engineers to dictate the structural load-bearing capacity before any casting begins. As the Lalbazar Crime Branch unravels the exact technical failures that led to the collapse, the focus remains heavily on structural accountability and safety compliance within Kolkata's rapid industrial expansion. (ANI)
|
