One-man commission to probe building collapse

Amid growing public outrage over the east Delhi building collapse, Delhi government on Wednesday appointed a one-member judicial commission to probe the incident in which at least 67 people were killed and 82 injured.

Amid growing public outrage over the east Delhi building collapse, Delhi government on Wednesday appointed a one-member judicial commission to probe the incident in which at least 67 people were killed and 82 injured.

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The inquiry, to be conducted by former Delhi High Court judge Justice Lokeshwar Prashad, will probe all aspects of the incident including whether there was any procedural, administrative, and statutory lapses that led to the tragedy.

The government has asked Justice Prashad to file his report within three months.

It will also fix responsibility, both individual and institutional, for the collapse of the building in congested Lalita Park locality in east Delhi on Monday night, top officials said.

Over 60 families, mostly labourers from West Bengal, were living in the cramped quarters of the 15-year-old building, where an illegal fifth floor was under construction.

The officials said Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit decided to appoint the judicial inquiry "in view of the scale of the mishap, large number of casualties and number of complex issues connected with the incident."

Following the incident, a blame-game had begun between MCD and Delhi government with both passing the buck to each other for the tragedy.

The commission will also determine the immediate and proximate causes for the collapse of the building and examine the circumstances and sequence of events leading to the incident.

The terms of reference of the inquiry include making recommendations regarding the preventive and penal measures required to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.

The commission will also determine the number of victims, both dead and injured, the officials said adding that the government reserves the right to further expand the scope of the inquiry.

Dikshit expressed confidence that the inquiry would be able to throw light on the causes of the incident and also help in preventing recurrence of such mishaps.

The Delhi Government had already ordered a magisterial probe the report of which was to be submitted within 10 days.

After the incident, Dikshit had blamed the BJP-ruled MCD while the civic body had put the onus on Delhi Government.

Holding MCD responsible for the incident, Dikshit had said the builder should not have been allowed to construct floors beyond permissible level and the quality of the building should also have been examined by the civic body.

Dikshit, yesterday, had promised stringent punishment against those found guilty.