RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Thursday directed officials to conduct immediate safety inspections and audits of hostels, paying guest (PG) accommodations, coaching centres, schools and large educational buildings across the state following a building collapse in Delhi earlier this week.
A 20-year-old student from Durg district was among seven people killed when a building collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan area on September 6.
During a high-level review meeting held through video conference with divisional commissioners, inspector general of police, collectors, superintendents of police and other senior officials, Sai said ensuring the safety of students and citizens was the government’s foremost priority.
“Administrative responsibility is not limited to taking action after an incident. It is also our responsibility to identify potential risks in advance and eliminate them. Immediate inspections and safety audits must be conducted for hostels, PGs, coaching centres, schools, and large educational buildings across all districts,” an official release quoted him as saying.
Sai directed authorities to ensure that deficiencies identified during the inspections were rectified within specified timelines. Collectors and SPs were asked to personally monitor the exercise and ensure that the directions were implemented effectively at the ground level.
The chief minister also ordered an assessment of old and dilapidated buildings in schools, libraries, hostels and other public places. Structures found to be unsafe or posing a threat to human life should be identified and necessary action taken immediately, he said.
He stressed the need for regular monitoring of such buildings instead of waiting for complaints or accidents, particularly at institutions frequented by children and students.
Sai also directed the excise department, police and district administrations to undertake a coordinated crackdown on the manufacture, sale, storage and transportation of illicit and adulterated liquor.
He asked officials to carry out joint raids in areas suspected of being involved in illegal liquor production, storage, sale or adulteration and take stringent legal action against those found responsible.
The directions come amid concern over a recent spurious liquor tragedy in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, where 15 people died after allegedly consuming adulterated liquor in Sagar district.
Sai warned that responsibility would be fixed and strict action taken against officials found negligent or failing to implement government directives.
He instructed all collectors and SPs to begin acting on the directions immediately and conduct regular reviews of the measures undertaken in their respective districts.