MADURAI: Claiming that there is a rise in the number of unskilled contractors, former chairperson of Builders Association of India V Xavier Antonyraj said that the lack of awareness among them is the reason behind incidents like the Checkanurani building collapse.
Talking to Express, Xavier Antonyraj said that before starting the construction works, the contractors should consult a structural engineer.
“The engineer will study the soil test report and will give his suggestions that should be followed. In the Checkanurai case, if the contractor had approached an engineer for suggestions regarding how to level the well in the site or the kind of materials to be used for the construction, the accident could have been averted,” he said.
He further noted that necessary safety gears had to be provided to the labours.“In many developed countries labours are not permitted to work without safety gears. The safety equipment will prevent the fatalities and will also minimise the impact of the injuries,” he pointed out.
Meanwhile, District Joint Secretary of Construction Workers Federation of India C Subbaiya recalled another incident where three persons died while working in a quarry without any safety equipment.He said that though the government was giving compensation to the victims and their families, it was not effective.
“Now, the system is like the district administration submits a report to the secretariat and the higher officials will take a call on whether to approve or deny the compensation. Instead, the State government has to introduce an insurance policy for the workers. If an insurance policy is in place, the district administration could release the money without much delay,” he added.Police earlier said that a few of the labourers at the site had raised doubt about the strength of the building.