The Gujarat High Court has observed a comprehensive order after taking suo motu cognizance and a PIL filed by Amit Panchal regarding the Rajkot fire incident of May 25.

The PIL urged for a thorough investigation into the negligence and accountability of the authorities.

The bench of Justices Biren Vaishnav and Devan Desai has directed an immediate halt to all gaming zones across the state until further notice.

Moreover, the HC has instructed all the municipal commissioners to conduct a legal audit of the gaming zones within their jurisdictions and ensure compliance with regulations and safety standards.

The HC has also issued notice to chief fire officers of all municipal corporations to review fire safety issues.

The state government has also assured the HC in this regard.

Furthermore, the High Court has sought clarification on various aspects such as adherence to Comprehensive General Development Control Regulations (CGDCR) regulations, acquisition of NOCs from fire authorities, and structural stability of constructions within the gaming zones. 

The court also asked whether a legal licence has also been obtained from the concerned district collector and mamlatdar under the Gujarat Police Act, Entertainment Tax Act etc.

The High Court said that three years after the opening of the TRP game zone in June 2021, it had applied to the RMC to regularise the construction (a fabricated steel frame structure with steel sheet walls) under the provisions of the GRUDA Act (The Gujarat Regularization of Unauthorised Development Act, 2022).

Advocate Amit Panchal and Additional Advocate General Mitesh Amin pointed out to the High Court that according to Section-8 and Sub-section-3 of the GRUDA Act, if the provisions of the Gujarat Fire Prevention and Life Safety Messrs Act-2013 are not fulfilled, then its illegal construction cannot be regularised.

The High Court order also clarified that the structure of the TRP game zone cannot be termed as a temporary structure as the court considered the definition of building and temporary structure specified in the Act.

Highlighting the unfortunate incident, the high court said that the authorities have opened their eyes after innocent and young lives have been lost.

The court also mentioned a series of unfortunate events that had taken place in Gujarat. The Takshashila coaching class fire of 2019 where 22 students lost their lives, the Shrey Hospital fire in Ahmedabad in 2020 where eight COVID-19 patients died, death of 135 people lost their life during the Morbi bridge collapse, and the latest incident the Harni boat capsizing when around 14 people including 12 children lost their lives.

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