MCC suspends building licence granted to Rohan Montero following landslide and worker’s death

Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) on Thursday, July 4, suspended the building licence issued to Rohan Montero for the construction of an apartment complex in Attavara village till further orders.

The Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) on Thursday, July 4, suspended the building licence issued to Rohan Montero for the construction of an apartment complex in Attavara village till further orders.

MCC Commissioner C.L. Anand in his proceedings on Thursday, said Mr. Montero’s act in continuing the construction activity during the monsoon resulted in a landslide causing the death of a worker and injuries to another on Wednesday, July 3.

On May 28, the corporation issued a public notice restraining all construction activities during the rainy season. Despite this, the builder conducted the activities and dug up the earth below the normal level resulting in soil slip, the Commissioner said.

Meanwhile, the Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board ordered the release of ₹2 lakh compensation to the next of the deceased Chandan Kumar on Thursday, July 4. The Board said though Late Kumar was not registered with the Board as a beneficiary, he was a genuine construction worker and hence, the compensation. It has sent a cheque for ₹2 lakh to Late Kumar’s wife Kirana Devi.

An official release also said the building contractor has given a compensation of ₹2 lakh to the family of the victim. Quoting the Labor Department, the release stated the victim’s family would also get compensation under the Workmen’s Compensation Act.

Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) on Thursday demanded stringent action against the MCC Commissioner for his lapses in allowing the construction activities resulting in Wednesday’s accident. The Commissioner did not take any action to stop the construction despite it being against the standing directions, said DYFI district secretary Santosh Bajal in a statement.

The administration wakes up only when accidents occur and does not bother otherwise. Recalling the death of two workers in a similar incident three years ago during the construction of a three-star hotel near Bunts’ Hostel, Mr. Bajal said Wednesday’s incident at the Rohan Suits construction site was not the first one in Mangaluru. The administration should provide maximum compensation to the victim’s family, he demanded.