Hyderabad, February 07: It was a disaster waiting to happen. Though they were aware of it, they had no other option but to work there.
The workers at the ill-fated building that collapsed yesterday at Narayanguda were very well aware that it was a sub-standard construction which could come down any time.
Infact, Balaiah, who earlier worked at the building as a watchman cautioned the workers before leaving the building, less than an year ago.
“Balaiah, who worked before me cautioned us that the works are not done properly. He left the place out of fear,’’ 50-year Mallaiah, who fought with death for 18 hours under the debris of the building said. Rescue workers pulled out Mallaiah from the debris today morning.
It was not only Balaiah who was aware of the impending danger.
Mallaiah was also one among the many workers who warned the builder and also the land owner of the awaiting tragedy, if necessary measures were not taken.
“The required quantity of cement was not used in the construction. At the same time, the slabs and pillars were erected with iron rods of lesser strength than the required,’’ Mallaiah said while recovering at the Osmania General Hospital.
I conveyed the same to the builder more than three times but it fell on deaf ears, he said adding that there was no water facility for curing the walls. “I came eight months back to work at the place. There was no bore facility to pump water and cure the constructed walls and pillars. It was only a month back that a bore was laid and since then, I am curing the walls,’’ he added.
Luckily for Mallaiah, he was between two pillars when the building crumbled yesterday. “I spend the 18 hours lying on the ground with the slabs precariously hanging over me.
Ever since the building collapsed and rescue work started, I tried to gain the attention of the people outside by shouting but no one seems to heard my desperate cries,’’ he said.
Mallaiah even tried to grasp the attention by hitting the asbestos sheets near him.
By night, he lost faith on life and stayed calm. Today morning, when rescue workers started to reach the bottom of the debris, Mallaiah gained some confidence that he might be saved. With luck on his side, rescue workers pulled him safely out of the rubble.
`Everyone working there know that a disaster is waiting to happen. We used to discuss about it but we have no other option as it is our livelihood,’’ he said.
Mallaiah used to stay along with his sister and brother-in-law, who have left the building hours before the mishap took place.
–Agencies