PESHAWAR: There is a controversy over the recent appearance of cracks in the Civil Secretariat Block-III as technical experts of the planning and development (P&D) department`s monitoring and evaluation wing have recommended evacuation of staff members from the building, while a team of the University of Engineering and Technology has declared it safe for use.

The recently-constructed block of the Abdul Wali Khan Multiplex had developed minor and major cracks and suffered `ground settlement`last Thursday.

Sources told Dawn that the administration department had asked the P&D department`s monitoring and evaluation wing to know about the nature of the cracks.

They said the P&D monitoring wing had submitted a report to the office of the chief secretary and administration secretary and that the reporthad suggested evacuation of the building for the time being.

`The report suggests that it would be better to evacuate the building ofits occupants during investigation into the structure`s `ground settlement` and its retrofitting,` a source said.

The source said thereportpointedtothe `foundation failure` of the structure as well as water accumulation there.

`The building design was made by a structural engineer, while sub-soil investigations were carried out by the UET Peshawar,` he said, adding that what the structure had experienced showed that there was problem either with the building`s design or with sub-soil test. The source said the report pointed out that the building had in fact moved and cracks had developed in three front columns.

`Two columns developed cracks on October 2, while another one developed cracks on October 5,` he said, adding that the report suggested northeast wards movement of the structure, while movement had been of half inch at plinth leveland one and half inch at top.

Thesourcesaidthereporthadalsoasked communication and works (C&W) department to engage UET experts for sub-soil tests and propose remedial measures.

He said the building needed to be retrofitted after thorough investigation.

Also, the C&W staff has been busy with investigations of the block, has dug up earth on the structure`s bacl(side and is removing plaster from inner parts of the building, where the cracl(s are visible.

Several officials working in the building told Dawn that cracks were gradually increasingin size and that they continued to hear loud sounds during work.

An official at the directorate of information told Dawn that the directorate had written to the information, C&W andadministration secretaries asking them to take care of the building saying employees were worried about their safety after the appearance of cracks in the structure.

Interestingly, special assistant to chief minister for law Arif Yousaf has shif ted his office to the minister`s block after cracks appeared in the building.

Now, Arif`s office is lying padlocl
He said Dr Bashir Alam, head of UET Civil Engineering department, haddeclared in its preliminary report the building was safe and could be used by people.

The official said it would take some days for UET team to provide its final report.

C&W department (central) chief engineer (building) Fazli Kabir denied that more cracks had appeared in the building or the department had recorded more `ground settlement` since last Thursday.

He said the incident was probably caused by water seepage either from sewerage line or water pipeline.

The chief engineer said water seepage had adversely affected a large portion of the building, including that of the road next to the cabinet room as well the area surrounding the block and that the building was safe.