Editorial
Derelict public buildings
Spare some fund to maintain them
IT is a national characteristic to avoid problems until something tragic happens. When it comes to maintenance of old buildings this idiosyncrasy is acutely manifested, especially by the authorities. The latest example of sheer neglect comes from two office buildings in Narail -- a post office and a sub post office, one built 27 years ago and the other 120 years ago! While we are all for keeping ancient buildings as heritage sites, to retain them without hardly any repair work done and keep them functioning, is the grossest form of neglect.
The buildings in question are dilapidated with cracks in the walls, rods sticking out of roofs, precariously hanging cables, plaster falling off - all the ingredients needed for a disaster to happen. For the 24 staff members who continue to work there, the fear of losing their lives due to a sudden collapse is very real. Yet the authorities seem least bothered about the risk to the lives of their employees and the continuous damage to valuable, historical documents getting damaged by rain water leaking through the walls.
This seems to be a typical attitude of the authorities responsible -- to allow buildings to become so derelict that they may actually crumble, and if lives are lost, too bad.
The story is the same for many state-funded buildings, whether they are schools, university dormitories or post offices like the ones in Narail. The hackneyed excuse given for this unforgivable act of negligence is lack of funds. But we all know that the real reason is lack of maintenance culture. Maintenance of official buildings is a routine affair for the authorities of any town or city and if they are so old that they are becoming a risk to people they should be torn down and new ones built.
While maintenance of public buildings is the state's undisputed priority, enforcing the necessary building codes for both private and public structures so people can live and work in safety, is also part of the government's job. It is literally a matter of life and death.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments