Bengaluru, 24 Oct

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of each deceased in a building collapse here, and said the government will bear the full medical expenses of those injured.

The incident, which claimed eight lives, was not due to the impact of rain, but owing to shoddy construction work, he said, adding, the building was constructed in a revenue layout unauthorisedly without taking any licence, and officials are being held responsible for it.

Siddaramaiah said eight people have been rescued. Three of the six injured are in a serious condition but all of them are out of danger.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the building collapse site at Babusapalya near Hennur, he said next of kin of those killed would be given an ex-gratia of Rs five lakh each—Rs 2 lakh by the Labour Department and Rs 3 lakh by the city civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

The Chief Minister also visited the hospital where they are being treated.

The Chief Minister noted that the concerned Assistant Executive Engineer of the area has been suspended.

The Chief Minister said he has instructed the BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath that no unauthorised constructions should be allowed for any reason, and in case unauthorised constructions are undertaken the Assistant Executive Engineers, the Executive Engineers and the Zonal officers would be held responsible.

This time, he said, Yelahanka received 170 mm rainfall on a single day. "This was first time such a rain had occurred in 125 years," Siddaramaiah said. "We are not shedding responsibility and express our inability by citing heavy rains; the governments should have the strength to manage it and ensure that no untoward incidents take place."

More than 1,000 families, who were affected by the rains this week, have been shifted, he said.

“By borrowing Rs 3,000 crore we will take all necessary measures to stop such untoward incidents."-PTI