AFTER FIERY HC WARNING, STATE LISTS FIRE NORMS

Less than 24 hours of the Bombay High Court warning that it would pass an order stopping all development permissions in Mumbai, the Maharashtra government has issued a notification for fire safety regulations for buildings vulnerable to terrorist attacks or manmade disasters.

- Urvi Mahajani

The amended regulations aim to tighten the fire and electrical safety measures and regular checks of equipment to ensure there is no loss of life and property due to fires. Over the last few years, the city has witnessed several blazes not only in slum areas but also high-rises, with many fatalities. Most of these fires were caused because of failure to comply with fire safety norms.

A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar, had rapped the state government for failing to take steps regarding the framing of fire safety rules on Wednesday. It warned that unless necessary action was taken, it was likely to consider passing an order restraining the approval of building plans in Mumbai.

The HC warning had come during the hearing in a public interest litigation (PIL) by advocates Abha Singh and Aditya Pratap, seeking the enforcement of safety regulations in buildings vulnerable to man-made disasters.