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(Image source: Sky News)
BY NICHOLE CARTMELL
The videos out of a town near Mumbai, India paint a devastating picture.
This is what’s left of a collapsed building that was still under construction, leaving
as many as 40 people dead, including 11 children, and many more injured. Witnesses say the building
collapsed in minutes, falling “like a pack of cards.” (Via Sky News)
And despite the fact that four stories of the planned multi-story building were already
occupied — police say the building construction was actually illegal. NDTV reports the builder
did not have an occupation certificate. This incident exemplifies a growing trend
in India. With a population growth rate of 1.58 percent, the number of Indians is expected
to surpass 1.53 billion people by 2030 — something that has international media talking. (Via
India Online) According to the BBC, there are hundreds of
other illegal high rises like this one in the area. The large population drives the
need for cheap housing, and illegal homes seem to sell at a lower price. Activists say
authorities turn a blind-eye to the issue. The New York Times explains this illegal activity
saying, “... contractors routinely build on public property — sometimes after bribing
public officials. If enough buildings are built in a particular area and enough time
passes, these makeshift settlements become politically impossible to demolish.”
Local authorities have filed *** charges against the builders, who have yet to be found.
The search-and-rescue operation continues for other people left within the ruins.