Chandigarh, Apr 2 (PTI) The Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has criticized the Gurugram Municipal Corporation for its "inaction" regarding 54 buildings declared "unsafe" in the city.
The commission has directed the municipal commissioner to appear in person on the next hearing and provide a detailed explanation.
A panel led by HHRC chairperson Justice Lalit Batra, along with members Kuldeep Jain and Deep Bhatia, has expressed serious concerns over the municipal body's inefficiency.
The issue of unsafe buildings in Gurugram gained attention after an incident on February 10, 2022 when a section of a high-rise at Chintels Paradiso Society collapsed, resulting in the death of two women and injury to one person.
The case was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) following the incident, the HHRC said in a statement on Wednesday.
The CBI has since filed two chargesheets, naming 11 accused, the statement added.
According to the reports submitted to the commission, the authorities had identified 183 dangerous buildings, out of which 152 were inspected, it said.
Initially, 80 buildings were deemed hazardous, but the latest report now lists only 54 unsafe structures. Additionally, 15 buildings remain uninspected, raising concerns over the Gurugram municipal commissioner's lax approach to public safety.
The municipal commissioner has been directed to appear in person on the next date of hearing on May 20, while Chief Engineer Manoj Yadav has also been directed to remain present before the commission.
The commission has ordered the chief engineer to submit a comprehensive report on the current status of the 54 unsafe buildings and the pending inspections of the remaining 15 structures in the next hearing.
The commission has issued a stern warning to Gurugram municipal commissioner stating that failure to act promptly will be considered a direct threat to public safety, said the statement quoting HHRC Public Relations Officer Dr Puneet Arora.
According to a recent order by the panel, "...it is amply clear that authorities of Municipal Corporation, Gurugram, are least interested in taking substantive action against defaulters concerning dangerous structures numbering fifty-four (54), as identified till date.
"...It is pertinent to note that if the Municipal Authorities take more than five to six years to initiate action against violators, particularly concerning dangerous structures, it may be construed as a compromise on the part of the Municipal Corporation, Gurugram, thereby jeopardizing public safety."
According to the order, "the residents of these declared dangerous structures bear the brunt of this inaction".
"A glaring example of such negligence occurred on February 10, 2022, when the roof of a multi-storey building namely Chintels Paradiso Society in Gurugram collapsed. This incident starkly highlights the gross inaction and negligence," the order added.