The death toll in the building collapse in East Delhi has risen to 65 and at least 80 people have been injured. The rescue operation which started on Monday night is in progress. A 250-member disaster management team has been deployed to help in the rescue efforts. AIR correspondent says that it will take several hours to complete the operation. It is still not clear how many people are trapped in the debris. Chief Minister Mrs. Sheila Dikshit who visited the site this morning said strong action will be taken against those found responsible for the collapse. A high level meeting convened by her will take a decisions on various issues related to the tragedy including the type of inquiry to probe the collapse. Lieutenant Governor Tejindra Khanna, who also visited the site said that he has asked the MCD to carry out survey of all buildings in Shahadra zone so that weak buildings can be retrofitted to prevent similar incident in future while those beyond repair will be sealed. The MCD is also reported to have set up a task force for the purpose. The Delhi Government has announced an ex-gratia of two lakh rupees each to the families of those killed, one lakh for the seriously injured and 50,000 each for other injured. AIR correspondent who visited the site reports that between 30 to 40 families were living in the building which had about 50 rooms. Most of the people were labourers , daily wagers and those doing petty jobs. The building also housed three factories including a snacks and ice cream factory.AIR correspondent reports that many of the relatives and friends of the victims have gathered at the spot in the hope that their loved ones may still be found alove.
News On AIR | November 16, 2010 1:08 PM
Death toll rises to 65 in East Delhi building collapse