CHENNAI: There are 531 more buildings, housing schools and other establishments, that have been identified to be unsafe and are yet to be razed in the state. For the first time, Commissioner of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj department, Darez Ahmed, has issued safety guidelines for demolition and urged the collectors to adhere to it.
According to officials in the district rural development agency, in the last three months, a total of 1,433 unsafe buildings were identified in the state during a special drive. It is learnt that 902 buildings have been demolished.
The safety guidelines have been issued to collectors across the state urging them to ensure that safety precautions are taken to safeguard persons working on the site and those in the vicinity. The guidelines were issued in the wake of the Tiruppur incident where a nearby structure was damaged when bringing down an unsafe building.
Sources told The New Indian Express the demolition drive is being undertaken on a war footing, as three students died in a wall collapse in a Tirunelveli school last year. It is learnt the state had identified around 10,030 school buildings which were to be demolished.
The new guidelines stress on the need to follow precautions before commencing the demolition work. It highlights the importance of installing danger signals around the structure and the need to block public access to the building. It also prevents workers from carrying out demolition during rain or at night, especially when the building is near to an inhabited area.
In case of emergencies during night hours, red lights should be placed along the barricades, the guidelines said. Similarly, it prescribes the need for workers to wear helmets, leather or rubber gloves, goggles made of celluloid lens and safety belts.
Steps to follow while demolishing buildings
The guidelines stresses on the need to follow precautions before commencing the demolition work. It highlights the importance of installing danger signals around the structure and to block the access to the building