Govt withdraws rescue work; forms panel to probe collapse

Goa government on Monday withdrew the rescue operations at site of building collapse in Cancona town after two adjacent buildings tilted precariously, and formed a three-member committee to probe the incident, which has claimed 17 lives so far. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said the rescue operations were withdrawn after two adjacent buildings on the site tilted precariously with one of them developing cracks due to constant drilling of the debris. ‘I issued directions to the rescuers to pull out from the site. If the adjacent buildings collapsed, there would have been more casualties,’ Parrikar said. ‘Mostly we will demolish the adjacent building before proceeding with the clearing of the debris,’ he said, adding the work cannot be bracketed under 'rescue' because there was a faint possibility of finding any more survivors.