Wall collapse deaths: ‘Govt will ensure payment of compensation’

OLMT contractor Habib Construction Services CEO announced a Rs1 million compensation for each family of the deceased

LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif announced on Wednesday that the provincial government would ensure that the warehouse owner paid Rs3 million compensation each to families of workers who when a wall collapsed on them near Quaid-i-Azam Interchange on GT Road on Tuesday.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Adviser to the Chief Minister Khawaja Ahmad Hassaan said, “The godown was under construction near a metro train site. Preliminary investigation suggests that the structure was fine,” he said.

“A trolley carrying bricks was parked near the wall that collapsed on Tuesday. Evidence collected from the site indicates that the trolley moved during the thunderstorm and hit the wall which fell on workers’ camps on the other side,” Hassan said. He said a case had been registered at Manawan police station against Shafqat Malik, owner of the godown. He said police was looking for him. He said the fate of the godown owner would be decided by a court.

He said the chief minister had taken notice of the incident and ordered that the government provide the best possible medical treatment to the injured.

Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Chief Engineer Israr Saeed said the godown was being constructed illegally.

“The godown owner did not get approval from the authority for construction,” he said.

OLMT contractor Habib Construction Services (HCS) chief executive officer Shahid Saleem announced a Rs1 million compensation for each family of the deceased. He said, “These workers were not HCS employees. They were hired through a third-party contractor but they had been working for the company for nearly a decade,” he said.

Muhammad Aslam, a labourer working near the accident site, said most workers had been enjoying weather. “When it started to rain, they went inside the tents and then suddenly the godown wall collapsed.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 26^th, 2016.