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BUILDING COLLAPSE

Rajuk allowed new structure on old one

PINAKI ROY
Corrupt officials of Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) are responsible for the collapse of the old building at Shankhari Bazar.
Rajuk inspectors allowed the house owners to erect new structure on its old and vulnerable foundation, sources said.
On the other hand, DCC tax collectors used to take bribes to show the six-storey building as a three-storey one to make way for the owners to evade holding taxes, DCC sources said.
Without proper supervision, both the institutions, however, kept their activity limited to sending the house owners notices to repair or destroy the old structure. Locals yesterday alleged both DCC and Rajuk officials regularly take bribes.
"They just send notices and come to visit to take bribes. Had the authorities not spared the flaws for bribes, 13 lives could be saved," said a resident of Shankhari Bazar yesterday requesting anonymity.
According to officials of Planning
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and Design section of the DCC, there are 81 vulnerable buildings in zone-two that covers wards No. 66 to 74 and 78 and 79.
They said they had sent notices to the owners of 81 houses, including the collapsed one, on October 15, 2001. Rajuk authorities also
claimed they had taken similar action 15 days ago.
"The DCC, according to ordinance-1983, is empowered to destroy any vulnerable building. In most cases the owners bring in court orders against the destroy orders and stop the process," said Tapan Dasgupta, DCC's chief town planner.
The owners, meanwhile, repair the defective buildings and even raise those by managing Rajuk approval often by bribing, sources said.
The Rajuk officials allowed the owners of the holding No. 82, next plot to the collapsed building, to build up a six-storey structure without considering the fate of the neighbouring building, which the DCC officials thought was the main reason for the collapse.
"The Rajuk should have instructed them to erect supports for the adjacent building while digging for foundation work," said a DCC high official preferring anonymity.
However, Rajuk Chairman Iqbal Uddin Chowdhury refuted the allegation.
"There is no question of giving permission to build up new structure over the old one. The DCC should be held responsible, as it has the authority to demolish vulnera-
ble buildings," Iqbal told The Daily Star.
Asked about the steps to avoid further accidents, Chief Town Planner Tapan said the DCC is preparing a GIS (geological information system) map of Dhaka city which will mark the vulnerable buildings for necessary action.
Ward No. 72, where Shankhari Bazar is situated, hosts 151 buildings, all 51 to 100 years old, 131 buildings 101 to 151 years, 135 buildings 151 to 200 years and four buildings 201 to 250 years old.
In ward No. 71 there are 13 structures 251 to 300 years old, 19 structures 201 to 250 years, 60 structures 151 to 200 years and 72 structures 101 to 150 years old.
"But all those old buildings are not risky. We're preparing the GIS map to find the risky ones easily," Tapan said.