Plea seeks CBI probe into Kandanchavadi building collapse

On Monday, social activist 'Traffic' KR Ramaswamy made a mention before the division bench comprising Justices N Kirubakaran and Krishnan Ramaswamy about the building collapse and sought the court to take suo motu cognisance.

However, the bench held that if the petition was filed on Monday itself, it would take it up for hearing on Tuesday.

Ramaswamy moved the plea seeking a CBI probe into the alleged rampant unauthorised constructions in Perungudi. Referring to the collapse, he submitted that when the width of the road was merely 20 feet, it was surprising that the authorities granted permission for constructing a building more than 10 storeys tall. Alleging that 99 per cent of the buildings in that area were unapproved and such illegality was thriving due to rampant corruption by officials and local politicians including ex-MLA KP Kandan, the petitioner submitted that when Kandan was president of Perungudi Town Panchayat and sitting MLA for five years, poramboku lands were illegally transferred to many millionaires in Perungdui area including Kanthanchavadi.

The same bench headed by Justice Kirubakaran in an earlier order pertaining to a no-objection certificate issued to a 13-storey building adjacent to Adyar River in Saidapet had sought the authorities to file an affidavit to the effect that they would take the responsibility if any loss of lives and property occured in future because of floods.

Hitting out at the officials for granting sanction to the complex in an area marked ‘flood prone zone’, the bench had then questioned whether the same yard stick would apply to common man.

The death toll in the building collapse in Kandanchavadi increased to two with one more labour succumbing to injuries on Sunday night. Rajan Choudhury (35) of Bihar, who had been admitted at Apollo hospital in Perungudi, reportedly developed seizure and died, said sources. Bablu (23), who died on the spot after getting stuck under the debris at the accident site, is also from Bihar. Police said that the condition of two more persons are said to be critical.