Greater Noida building collapse: Builder smirks and says not his fault

NDRF teams, police and fire officials were facing difficulties due to narrow lanes in the area and a huge crowd that had gathered at the spot. A number of distressed families also reached the spot whose under-constructed flats came down like a pack of cards, Deepika, one of the flat owners, said she spent her life time earnings in buying the flat which has now bitten the dust. “I have to pay EMIs, rent, got a 3-year-old daughter to look after. I don’t know what will happen now. Everything is ruined.”

Gangashankar Dwivedi

New Delhi: Builder Gangashankar Dwivedi unabashedly smiled when asked whether he take responsibility of the building collapse in Greater Noida on Tuesday night. A six-storey under-construction building fell on an adjacent building in Shah Beri village under the Bisrakh police station last night. The second building also collapsed under the impact. Dwivedi said his relative was the actual builder of the constructed building which fell on the under constructed tower. With a smirk on his face, he stood at the police station along with two of his workers Dinesh and Sanjay. He portrayed an attitude that reflected he is unapologetic and is not remorseful of the calamity that took place. So far only three bodies have been recovered from the rubble but many more are feared trapped under the debris. Reports say at least 12 labourers were in the under-construction building when the incident took place and all of them were feared trapped. NDRF teams, police and fire officials were facing difficulties due to narrow lanes in the area and a huge crowd that had gathered at the spot. A number of distressed families also reached the spot whose under-constructed flats came down like a pack of cards, Deepika, one of the flat owners, said she spent her life time earnings in buying the flat which has now bitten the dust. “I have to pay EMIs, rent, got a 3-year-old daughter to look after. I don’t know what will happen now. Everything is ruined.” Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the Gautam Budh Nagar district magistrate to monitor the relief-and-rescue operations. Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya has assured action against the culprits. An FIR under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 288 (negligent conduct with respect to pulling down or repairing buildings), 388 (extortion by threat of accusation of an offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life) and 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) were lodged at the Bisrakh police station against 18 persons in connection with the incident, the IG Inspector General of Police, Meerut Zone, Ram Kumar reportedly said.