Who is responsible for safety at construction sites, asks Pune as builders say no action against them

CM Fadnavis has assured city builders that they won’t be booked for negligence or culpable homicide in case of deaths of labourers at construction sites. But labour unions have opposed the move stating that it would further deteriorate implementation of safety measures at sites

With builders seeking protection from police cases against them for accidents occurring on construction sites, residents and citizen activists have now raised concern over who will guarantee safety at construction sites. Real estate developers in Pune maintain that they should not be booked in criminal offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Maharashtra Ownership of Flats Act (Mofa), citing that it has become a tool in the hands of Right to Information (RTI) activists to blackmail builders and file false cases against real estate developers.

According to builders, accident-related offences must be treated purely as an accident and not as a criminal offence. (Pratham Gokhale/HT Photo)

Why builders oppose the act Builders maintain that since the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority is already in place, there is no need for booking builders or criminally prosecuting them under Mofa.

Builders’ organisations and Pune police maintained that the number of criminal cases being lodged against real estate developers for accidents at construction sites, under different Sections of IPC, have gone up considerably, leading to rising concern in the construction business fraternity.

According to builders, accident-related offences must be treated purely as an accident and not as a criminal offence. However, labourer organisations have termed the move as “changing the law” and added that they will take legal recourse against the move.

The developers recently met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and BJP chief Amit Shah, raising the issue of unnecessary action being taken against them by police under IPC for accidents happening at construction sites. Marathi Bandhkam Vyavasayik, a builders’ body, demanded that the practice of registering first information reports (FIR) against them in accidents at construction sites should be stopped. The builders also demanded that no action be taken against them under Mofa in such a case.

Similarly, offences under Mofa too have witnessed a significant rise after aggrieved residents have started lodging cases under the Act. Statistics available with the Pune police commissionerate state that the total number of Mofa cases registered against builders was 26 in 2016, 32 in 2017 and 35 in 2018 (till date), which is a clear indicator of the increasing number of cases being lodged against builders by residents.

Nitin Pawar, general secretary, Bandhkam Mazdoor Sabha, Maharashtra state, said that the principal employer, which is the builder, is responsible for the safety and security of labourers employed at construction sites. “Action must be taken wherever safety and security measures are not observed. Action must be taken against the principal employer, who is responsible for the overall safety at construction sites. The builders should not just seek profits, but must think about the welfare of their employees. The common labourer is not getting justice because of a strong builder lobby which is denying them their rights by pulling the levers. They said that they will not allow a a change in the law and if need be, will approach court over the issue. The contracts with the labourers are signed in such a way that they will never get adequate compensation and justice,” said Nitin Pawar.

Pankaj Dahane, deputy commissioner of police (crime branch ), said that Mofa offences come under the economic offences wing (EOW) of the crime branch. “The cases are lodged under Mofa by the citizens at their respective police stations or via complaints sent to EOW ,” he said.

Gajendra Pawar, former president of Marathi Bandhkam Vyavasayik Association (MBVA), demanded that no action be taken against real estate developers for negligence and culpable homicide under Section 304 IPC (homicide), before Fadnavis said that developers must not be booked under Sections of IPC.

“The real estate developers comply with all the laid down norms and appoints architects, project managers and inspectors for the construction work. Most of this is outsourced. When they are booked under the provisions of IPC, especially Section 304 in case of accidental deaths, then it amounts to untold harassment of builders for no fault of theirs,” Pawar said. He added that there is no need for invoking Mofa Act against the builders when Rera act is already in place.

Pawar further explained that builders can be fined and the necessary compensation be taken from them, but filing criminal cases under IPC results in mental harassment of builders and the industry as a whole.

“Of late, Mofa is being used by RTI activists to blackmail builders over flimsy reasons and settle personal scores. I have requested CM to look into the issue and he has taken a positive view of the issue. He assured us that prompt action will be taken, wherein the builders will not be booked under the Act and an incident like an accident will be taken down as an accident and not a criminal offence,” he said.

He added that CM Fadnavis has promised that a fresh government resolution regarding the same will be issued after the end of monsoon session. The DGP office had earlier issued directions to all police stations in the state to promptly register offences against builders under Mofa Act.