Gujarat yet to enforce fire safety law fully after two decades

Despite repeated directions from the Gujarat High Court, fire safety norms remain poorly implemented across the state, including in Ahmedabad, more than two decades after the enactment of the Gujarat Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2003.

The issue was highlighted during hearings in a public interest litigation filed by advocate Amit Panchal, which raises concerns about the lack of fire safety infrastructure and enforcement in high-rise buildings, schools, and other public premises.

The High Court has, on several occasions, directed authorities to ensure the installation and compliance of fire safety systems across municipal areas. However, these directives have not been effectively enforced by civic bodies, including the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, according to submissions before the court.

The petition, filed in 2020, has now been pending for six years, yet a comprehensive and updated status report on fire safety compliance across key sectors, including residential towers, educational institutions, hospitals, factories and gaming zones, has not been placed on record.

The court also expressed concern that authorities have been submitting claims of progress without substantive evidence, raising questions over transparency and accountability in implementation.

In a related development, a bench led by Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice D N Ray sought a progress report from the state government on the ongoing investigation against four officials of the Rajkot Municipal Corporation in connection with the TRP Gaming Zone fire incident.

The court rejected an affidavit submitted by a senior official from the Urban Development Department, stating that it failed to address key queries raised earlier. Taking serious note of the deficiencies, the bench directed the government to file a fresh and detailed affidavit.