Supreme Court To Hear Delhi’s Satya Niketan PG Building Collapse Case On September 10

The Supreme Court has said it would consider issues related to Delhi’s Satya Niketan building collapse on September 10 and, if necessary, it may transfer the case already dealt with by the High Court here.

On Monday, the over 27-hour rescue operation at the Satya Niketan building collapse site here concluded with seven people dead and five injured. The building owner, his wife and son were arrested, while five MCD officials have been suspended.

The five-storey building housing a boys' paying guest accommodation near Delhi University's South Campus collapsed around 1.30 pm on Sunday.

A bench of Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice R Mahadevan said the issues dealt with by the high court are "serious" and overlap with the case already considered by the apex court on a pan-India basis.

"We have something in mind. We will consider this issue day-after-tomorrow. This is a serious issue. The issues dealt with by the high court are overlapping with one considered by this court on pan-India basis," the bench said.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Delhi government, termed the incident as "most unfortunate" and said, "Our heart goes out to the children and the parents".

He brought to the notice of the court that the Delhi High Court was already hearing a PIL on the issue and placed on record the order passed on Monday.

At the outset, Senior Advocate Ajit Sinha, amicus curiae appointed in the matter considered by the apex court, said in view of the recent tragic incident, they have inspected the site along with a professor from IIT and MCD officials and filed a status report in this regard.

He urged the court to take up the matter urgently so that necessary directions can be passed.

The top court, which is already dealing with issues related to unauthorised constructions in residential areas, fire safety and conversion of residential into commercial establishments in violation of norms across India, was urged to take up urgently the matter related to the Sunday incident which left seven students dead.

The Supreme Court has already issued numerous directions to authorities on issues related to unauthorised constructions in residential areas, fire safety and conversion of residential into commercial establishments in violation of norms.

A Public Interest Litigation was also filed before the Delhi High Court. The High Court on September 7 had ordered a high-level MCD inquiry into the incident and made it clear that the government cannot evade responsibility. It termed the incident "most unfortunate" and said such tragedies are a result of inadequate measures employed by the MCD and other authorities.

The High Court had ordered, "So far as yesterday’s incident is concerned, we direct that the MCD, at the highest executive level, shall take up the issue and get an inquiry conducted into the issue as to whether buildings which collapsed in the incident were constructed in terms of any valid permission or not and if it is found that the buildings were constructed without any legal permission, or in derogation of the relevant bye-laws, the MCD, in the inquiry to be conducted under this Order, shall fix the responsibility of the officer/employees concerned for such a lapse...The response to be filed by the MCD shall also indicate as what action has been proposed against the erring officers/officials, if any..."

The High Court had also directed that the MCD in a weeks’ time, shall carry out the inspection of all such PG hostels falling within its jurisdiction and prepare a report which shall indicate as to whether the buildings in which such PG hostels are housed, have been constructed in terms of the requisite permissions and further as to whether there has been violation of such permissions/building bye-laws.

[With PTI Inputs]