Building collapse: Man moves HC for compensation

The Madras High Court today ordered issue of notices to Tamil Nadu government and Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority on a plea by a resident of Moulivakkam here seeking compensation for his house which was damaged after a 11-storied building collapsed last year.
Justice T S Sivagnanam ordered issue of notices to the authorities returnable by eight weeks.
In his petition, S M Daniel submitted that the collapsed building fell on his house totally damaging it and he was forced to vacate the premises by government authorities after the incident declaring the place as prohibited area.
He submitted that after vacating from his house, he was staying in a house paying a monthly rent of Rs 15,000.

Daniel submitted that he purchased the land and building for Rs 40 lakh availing a loan of Rs 32,02,362 from a bank at the rate of 11 per cent interest to be repaid in 180 monthly installments.
He contended that it was because of the negligence by the

CMDA and other government agencies, who gave permission to construct it, the 11-storied building collapsed and hence they were liable to compensate for his loss.
As the government had declared the area as a prohibited
one, he was unable to enter there to re-construct it.
Sixty one people lost their lives and 27 sustained injuries in the collapse of the under-construction building on June 28 last year.