Punjab building collapse: NDRF, Army continue rescue operation

Chandigarh, Dec 22 (IANS) Rescuers involving the National Disaster Management Force (NDRF) and the Indian Army on Sunday began the operation on the second day as three people were believed to be trapped in the debris of a four-storey collapsed building in Punjab’s Mohali town. A 20-year-old woman from Himachal Pradesh has died in the incident.

According to NDRF officials, five people were buried under the debris when the structure of a gym collapsed owing to digging in an adjacent building’s basement in Sector 77, officials said.

Drishti Verma, 20, a resident of Theog in Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla district, was pulled out by rescuers and later succumbed to her injuries at a hospital, said Viraj S. Tidke, officiating Deputy Commissioner.

The police have booked the building owners — Parwinder Singh and Gagandeep Singh — under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Senior Superintendent of Police Deepak Pareek told the media.

One column of the Indian Army with specialist engineering equipment has been deployed since 7.30 p.m. on Saturday. The Western Command said the Indian Army reacted swiftly to the rescue. In a remarkable display of coordinated efforts, the Army columns along with the NDRF and the state rescue teams have been relentlessly working to address the crisis. The Engineer Task Force with debris clearance machine and JCBs are operational at the site. Top debris was removed and efforts are being made to reach the basement.

The officiating Deputy Commissioner said as soon as the disaster was reported in the evening, district officials rushed to the spot and started the rescue operation with the help of locals and other departments. He said Senior Superintendent of Police Pareek was also among the first officers who arrived at the site and took the initiative to ensure the start of rescue efforts.

Tidke said the district administration sent a message to the National Disaster Response Force based at Pinjore and in addition intimation to the Western Command of the Indian Army to augment the rescue operation with the NDRF. He said the district administration has been putting all efforts to rescue every single person who has been trapped in the debris. The round-the-clock operation will continue till the rescue of all people.

He said all requisite equipment and machinery have also been made available.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has spoken with the district administration about the ongoing rescue works and has directed us to make all possible efforts to rescue the victims. Also, Member of Parliament Malvinder Singh Kang and local MLA Kulwant Singh were present at the site on Saturday to oversee the rescue work.

Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav also took stock of the rescue work and directed the local police to ensure the safety of the victims at all costs.

Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain said the rescue work would continue till the safe return of all victims and duty magistrates Tehsildar Arjun Singh Grewal and Navpreet Singh Shergill have been deputed to assist the rescue teams and the police.

–IANS

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