Contrary to the claims made by MCD officials on Wednesday about no more bodies remaining in the debris at the Lalita Park building collapse site, three more bodies were recovered, pushing the toll to 70, including 29 women and 17 children.
The body of a five-year-old boy was recovered from the debris around Wednesday midnight. The body of a woman was found at 12.30 am on Thursday. Around 7.30 am, the rescuers found body of a 25-year-old man. The possibility of any survivors was nill, but there may be some bodies, said officials.
Meanwhile, the evacuation notices served to 38 buildings by the MCD increased the anxiety of the residents. “If they come without an alternative, there will be riots,” said an angry local Sanjay Gupta.
Later in the evening, chief minister Sheila Dikshit also slammed the MCD for evacuating people without alternative arrangements. “Why are they doing this?,” she asked. Ms Dikshit further said that accountability was essential. “There is connivance,” she said, indicating towards the builders-officials nexus in unauthorised construction.
After announcing a structural safety survey for houses within 300 metres of the Yamuna pushta, the MCD has decided to extend the survey all over the city in due course. On the other hand, the claim by the building owner, Amritpal Singh Sachdeva, that he knew Delhi urban development minister A.K. Walia, the MLA from the area, and had told him about waterlogging in basement made the BJP demand Dr Walia’s resignation. Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly V.K. Malhotra said that the minister should resign.
Dr Walia conceded that he knew Amritpal as he was also a doctor and area MLA, but refused that the accused had ever raised the issue of water flooding the basement with him.
Meanwhile, the railways would make special arrangements to transport the bodies of the victims from Bihar and West Bengal. A special coach would take the bodies to Murshidabad and Katihar, said railway minister Mamata Banerjee.