Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Saturday announced setting up of a committee to inspect heritage buildings in Chennai and submit a report on their safety following last week`s blaze that severely damaged Ezhilagam housing some government departments.
The committee, comprising former Anna University Dean A R
Shanthakumar, PWD Principal Chief Engineer (Building) R
Gopalakrishnan and officials of Chennai Metropolitan
Development Authority, will work out possibilities for
restoring the heritage building Ezhilgam to its original
beauty or build a `replica`, a press release said.
The Committee has been asked to inspect all heritage
buildings in the city and submit a report on their safety by
Jayalalithaa, it said.
The January 15 blaze had resulted in loss of property to
the departments of Social Welfare and Industries located there
to the tune of Rs 2.7 crore, the release said adding the Chief
Minister allotted an initial sum of Rs 2.46 crore towards
purchasing furniture and stationery.
The fire at Ezhilagam killed a fire and rescue personnel
and injured two others, including a senior Fire Officer.
PTI
