Gujarat HC Takes Sou-Moto Cognizance Of Rajkot Fire Incident

On Sunday, a special bench of Gujarat’s High Court has recently taken suo-moto cognizance of the gaming fire incident, which has left 27 persons dead.

As per Justices Biren Vaishnav and Devan Desai’s observation, it is a prime facie man-made disaster. The bench has added that such gaming zones and recreational facilities have come up without prior approvals from competent authorities.

Later, the bench also directed lawyers of Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, and Rajkot municipal corporations to come to the court, on Monday, to answer, under what provisions of law, lead these units to set up these facilities or operate under their jurisdiction.

“We are shocked to read newspaper reports which indicate that the gaming zone at Rajkot appears to have taken advantage of the loopholes in the Gujarat Comprehensive General Development Control Regulations (GDCR). These entertainment zones, as newspapers suggest, have come up without the necessary approvals from the competent authorities” observed Gujarat HC.

Court Questioned Municipal Corporation & State Government

Later, the high court also pulled up both municipal corporations and state government for letting these units acquire licenses without any oversight.

These entertainment zones, as newspapers suggest, have come up without the necessary approvals from the competent authorities said court.

Using newspaper reports as their source, the high court further pointed towards the temporary structures created at TRP game zone, to skip processes in taking necessary permissions, no–objection certificates, including the fire NOC and construction permission.

In addition, the court also revealed, that a stock of highly inflammable materials such as petrol, fibres and fibre glass sheets were kept at Rajkot game zone at the time of fire.

However, the court has scheduled the suo-moto petition for further hearing on Monday. It has also accepted Amit Panchal’s civil application for an urgent hearing.

In this PIL, Panchal alleges non-compliance with certain provisions of Gujarat Provincial Municipal Corporations Act, 1949, Gujarat Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2013 etc. in these devastating fire incidents.