Meerut Building Collapse: 10 Lives Could Have Been Saved If House Owner Heeded To Repeated Warnings, Say Officials

A 3-storey building collapse in Meerut claimed 10 lives. Municipal officials said they had issued notices and advised vacating the building six months prior due to its deteriorating condition.

Rescue operation at the house collapse site, in Meerut on September 15, 2024.

Source : PTI

Meerut Building Collapse: In the wake of the devastating collapse of a three-storey dilapidated building in Meerut's Zakir Colony, which claimed the lives of ten people, a major revelation has surfaced pointing to a series of ignored warnings and negligence.

Dr. Harpal Singh, the Municipal Health Officer of Meerut Municipal Corporation, said a notice had been issued to the family six months ago, urging the relocation of a dairy operating in the building due to its deteriorating condition. The notice, along with warnings about the house's unsafe state, was ignored, leading to the fatal collapse, said the officer, expressing regret over the incident.

Singh's revelations included details of a recent visit by a municipal corporation team just a week before the incident. The team had advised Nafisa Bibi, who ran a dairy from the house, to vacate the premises immediately due to the building's weakened structure exacerbated by excessive water from a submersible pump and the ongoing dairy operations. Despite assurances from Nafisa Bibi that she would vacate the building soon, the necessary actions were not taken in time, leading to the tragic loss of lives.

Nafisa Bibi alias Naffo was among the 10 persons who died.

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Repeated Warnings Went Unheeded

According to Singh, local councillor Ikram Baliyan also made several attempts to address the issue. 

He said Baliyan personally warned Nafisa Bibi about the dangers of staying in the dilapidated building, urging her to vacate and repair it. Unfortunately, these warnings went unheeded until it was too late.

Nafisa Bibi's three-storey house collapsed Saturday afternoon, trapping a total of 15 people, most of them from her family, under the debris. According to the administration, those who died were identified as Naffo alias Nafisa (65), her son Sajid (40), his wife Saima (35), their daughter Sania (15), son Saqib (12); Farhana (27), Alisa (25), Ria (10), Himsa (6 months) and Saifiyan (7). Those who survived are Samrin (4), Naeem (22), Nadeem (26), Saqib (20) and Aliya (8).  

The Meerut Municipal Corporation is now stepping up its efforts to address similar issues across the city. 

Singh announced that a new campaign will be launched targeting approximately 850 dairies operating in dilapidated conditions. This initiative will involve issuing fresh notices and implementing strict measures, including the potential seizure of livestock, to ensure compliance and prevent further incidents.