MARGAO
After the South Goa District Collector and Chairperson of the District Disaster Management Authority, Asvin Chandru, IAS ordered the demolition of the “unsafe” building housing a footwear showroom, Madgavkars have a question or two for the Margao Municipal Council to answer “ how come the civic body issued the trade licence to a footwear showroom when the structural stability report in 2018 was categorical in saying the building is unsafe for human habitation?
Even as officials heading the Municipal sections resorted to the usual blame game, the councillors and the Municipal Babus and the powers that be may have to further answer how come the civic body failed to act when the structural stability report stated that the unsafe building may collapse and result into loss of property and human life.
A glance at the building structural stability report prepared by the Goa College of Engineering, Farmugudi stated that the health condition of the structure is beyond repairable and retrofittable. The report had further stated that as the building is precariously standing and vehicles are being parked in front of the building, the threat due to collapse of the structure may result into loss of property and human life is not ruled out.
That’s not all. The report further stated that hanging Gl sheets from the roof may lead to casualties and pose threat to loss of property and human life, adding “several incidents of falling of loose spalled concrete, construction material have taken place (As indicated by local residents of the building during testing of the structure)”.
The report was categorical in saying the building in question has no maintenance and is very weak in general. “The 3rd floor structural members are exposed and have become weak. Structural elements are unfit for strengthening or retrofitting. Second floor structural members although are not exposed but due to leakage and non maintenance have become porous, rebars are corroded and at some places rebars are vanished. Cracks in structural members resulted in poor strength. All the members are not viable for retrofitting,” the report stated.
The report added: “First floor structural members although are not exposed but due to leakage and stagnation of water (in monsoons) and non maintenance all members have become porous, rebars are corroded and at some places rebars have vanished. Walls are damp and vegetation growth is seen. Most of the rooms are affected by fungal growth. Cracks in structural members resulted in poor strength. Spalling of concrete from structural members is a very common feature. All the members are not fit for retrofitting.”
Civic body sections resort to blame game
Chairperson points fingers at civic officials
MARGAO: Margao Municipal Chairperson Damu Shirodkar has said the Municipal officials will be at fault if the civic has issued the trade licence to the business activity when the building has been declared unsafe.
He, however, hastened to add that he had attended the showroom inauguration function after cross checking that the showroom is being inaugurated after obtaining the trade licence.
“In the past, I had stayed away from the inauguration of a mall in my Aquem ward after I realised that they had no trade licence. In the instant case, the showroom was set up after obtaining the trade licence,” he said, adding that it is the mistake of the Municipal officials to issue the trade licence when the building was declared unsafe.
