Cuttack Collector orders probe into collapse of balcony of old apartment

Cuttack District Collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde on Sunday ordered an inquiry into the collapse of the balcony of an old apartment building in the city.

Three persons, including a child, were killed and three others were injured when the balcony of an old apartment building collapsed and fell on them in Cuttack city, Shinde said.

Speaking to media persons, the collector said the injured persons are under treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital, and their health condition is stable.

The government and district administration has provided compensation to the victims, he said. He informed that a four-member committee led by the additional commissioner of Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) will conduct the investigation and submit the report within 24 hours. ''It was alleged that the building is in an unsafe condition, and the planning permission was violated. So, the panel will probe into these angles and submit the report,'' the collector said. After getting the report by Monday evening, necessary action will be taken on the basis of the findings, he stated.

''We will see whether it was just an accident or happened due to violation of norms or instructions made for unsafe buildings. Accordingly, action will be taken,'' Shinde said.

He said that the district administration would take steps to vacate all unsafe buildings one by one, following due procedure and Supreme Court guidelines.

After completion of the ongoing Bali Yatra, a meeting will be convened of concerned department officers to finalise the further course of action, he added.

Meanwhile, Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra on Sunday said the state government is expediting the process to demolish unsafe government buildings in the state.

It is the duty of the Works Department to identify the unsafe government buildings, which will be demolished, he said.

Similarly, the private unsafe buildings need to be demolished by the owners, he added.