Greater Noida building crash toll rises to 9; may still trapped
Greater Noida, July 19 : The death toll in the twin-building collapse here in Uttar Pradesh climbed to nine on Thursday, with five more bodies pulled out from the rubble of the residential apartments early in the day.
The rescue operations were still on in the Shahberi village where the crash took place late on Tuesday, an official said.
A rescue personnel told IANS that according to estimates given by neighbours, at least 20 persons are still feared trapped inside.
Six of the deceased have been identified. There is Priyanka Dwivedi, 26, of Mainpuri; Shamshad, 25, of Faizabad; Ranjeet Bhimali, 30, from West Bengal; Raj Kumar,50, Shiv Trivedi,28, and Pankhuri of just 14 months.
A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) official said based on the operation conducted with the help of sniffer dogs, "chances of anybody surviving under the concrete debris were slim" as more than 36 hours have lapsed since the incident.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the dead.
The District Magistrate of Gautambuddh Nagar (Noida) has already ordered a magisterial probe.
Cases have been filed against two dozen persons and four of the accused, including the builder Ganga Sharan Dwivedi, brokers Dinesh and Sanjeev have been arrested.
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Gehlot changes profile pic to 'Save Aravalli', asks Centre to reconsider definition
Jaipur (PTI): Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Thursday urged the Centre to reconsider its definition of the Aravallis, warning that any damage to the mountain range posed a serious threat to the ecological future of north India.
Gehlot, a former Rajasthan chief minister, changed his social media profile picture in support of the nationwide 'SaveAravalli' campaign amid growing debate over mining and environmental safeguards in the Aravalli Range.
It was his symbolic protest against the new interpretation under which hills lower than 100 metres are no longer being recognised as part of the Aravalli system, he said.
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"The Aravalli cannot be judged by tape measures or height alone. It must be assessed by its ecological importance," Gehlot said, adding that the revised definition raised "a big question" over the future of north India.
Appealing to the Centre and the Supreme Court, Gehlot said the issue must be reconsidered in the interest of future generations and environmental security. He also urged citizens to participate in the campaign by changing their display pictures online to draw attention to the issue.
He said the Aravalli range functioned as a natural green wall against the expansion of the Thar desert and extreme heatwaves, protecting Delhi, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. Opening up smaller hills and so-called gap areas for mining would allow desertification to advance rapidly, he warned.
Gehlot also flagged concerns over air pollution, saying the hills and forests of the Aravallis acted as the "lungs" of the National Capital Region by checking dust storms and absorbing pollutants.
"When pollution levels are so alarming even with the Aravalli standing, one can imagine how disastrous the situation will be without it," he said.
Highlighting the water crisis, the former chief minister said the rocky terrain of the Aravallis played a crucial role in groundwater recharge by channelising rainwater underground.
"If the hills are destroyed, drinking water shortages will intensify, wildlife will disappear and the entire ecology will be pushed into danger," he said.
Gehlot argued that, from a scientific perspective, the Aravallis was a continuous chain and that even smaller hillocks were as vital as higher peaks.
