Srinagar, Aug 22: The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has informed all the Ward Officers and other concerned to submit a list of old and dilapidated buildings, feared to collapse, so that they could be dismantled at an earliest.
 The development came forth Sunday when Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development Department, PHE, Tourism, Revenue & Relief,   Nasir Sogami   visited the site at the City centre of Lal Chowk where a building collapsed Saturday.
 The Minister was accompanied by City Mayor, Salman Sagar, Commissioner, SMC, Khawaja Farooq Ahmed Renzu, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Mehraj-ud-Din Kakroo, SSP City and other senior level officers.
 While visiting the site both Mayor and Commissioner brought into the notice of Minister the dilapidated condition of Pladium Cinema and other old buildings of  Lal Chowk which have developed cracks.
 An official handout said the SMC would be taking appropriate measures to ensure that owners of such buildings immediately approach SMC for requisite action.
 “In case they fail to do so SMC has powers and provisions under law to have these buildings removed and charge the owners for all costs along with penalty under law,” it added.
 The ward officers of Lal Chowk, Hari  Singh High Street and Habba Kadal have been directed to remain more vigilant in identifying such buildings, the Mayor told the minister.
 It was with the prompt action of district administration along with Srinagar Municipal Corporation that debris of hotel Coronation was removed with in shortest possible time, which has been appreciated by people at large.
 Sogami was also informed that even government buildings which were in dilapidated condition are being dismantled. The Estates building at Press Colony Partap Park, which was in dilapidated condition for the last one decade is being dismantled at present with full precautionary measures.
 The SMC allowed the Estate department to dismantle the same without any further delay.
  Similarly other private and government buildings are also being identified for similar prompt action.
 The Minister later visited Sheikh Bagh, where parking lot is being developed. The decision with regard to creating different garbage dumping sites in different areas of the city is being reviewed by the Corporation very soon.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 22 Aug 2009 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 22 Aug 2009 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 23 Aug 2009 00:00:00 IST