Engineer suspended, vendors to stay off unsafe structures

Bengaluru: A day after seven persons died after a compound wall of Bowring Hospital crashed on them in heavy rain on Wednesday evening, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah has ordered suspension of an executive engineer, tightened safety measures and ordered eviction of vendors from near unsteady and dangerous structures.The action follows a high-level review meeting at Vidhana Soudha Thursday attended by senior ministers, including deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, and senior civic officials. The chief minister's office said the engineer from Karnataka Health Systems Development Project responsible for the lapse has been suspended with immediate effect.Pulling up Bowring Hospital over alleged supervision failures, Siddaramaiah directed authorities to issue notice to the hospital over soil dumping near the weakened wall. "Why was mud allowed to be piled up when it could weaken the structure?" he asked, holding both engineering staff and hospital authorities accountable.Siddaramaiah said over 250 trees were uprooted by 11cm rain that lashed Bengaluru Wednesday. He directed civic agencies to fix potholes, clear debris and strengthen monitoring. The CM, who visited the site on Wednesday, had ordered a comprehensive inquiry into the collapse.With monsoon approaching, Siddaramaiah instructed zonal commissioners to step up preparedness, including desilting stormwater drains and managing flood-prone areas, while ensuring safety around vulnerable infrastructure.As part of immediate safety measures, Shivakumar said vulnerable locations across the city are being identified and mapped, with a focus on clearing encroachments around dangerous structures."Instructions have been given to remove street vendors from unsafe structures in the city. Weak trees and branches on all roads in Bengaluru are being pruned. Police and BBMP officials have prepared a joint list. A control room is ready to respond to any complaints of rain damage," he said.In Kalaburagi, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge urged the Karnataka govt to take preventive steps and address structural safety concerns. "One version called it an old compound. Another version claimed it was not constructed properly. Govt should act and ensure there is no repeat of such incidents." he said.
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