22 January 2014
The collapse of a five-storey building under construction at Canacona, Goa, India on 4 January has brought to light the inadequate training of municipal engineers, the Times of India reports.
After suspending the engineer of Canacona municipality who allegedly failed to check if the collapsed building was completed or not before granting the occupancy certificate, the parent body of municipalities – India’s department of urban development – is organising crash training for the 30 existing engineers.
At least 17 people have died following the collapse of a five-story building under construction in Goa, India (Getty)
Most of them are diploma holders recruited in 2010 and only a handful hold a degree in engineering, the Times reports.
A senior municipal officer told the Times that some have "zero technical knowledge" of the subject they handle, and most are inadequately trained to certify big projects.