- Rajkot gaming centre and at the New Born Baby Care Hospital in New Delhi fire incidents demand a review of various laws and guidelines that stipulate rules around fire safety in buildings.
- Framework: The Model Building Bye-Laws, 2016, particularly Chapter 11 on “Fire Protection and Fire Safety Requirements,” provides the framework for State governments responsible for fire safety.
- Chapter 11 specifies fire safety and infrastructure needs for buildings 49 feet or taller and those with low occupancies, necessary for issuing an NOC.
- States must ensure adherence to Part 4 of the National Building Code (NBC) and incorporate mandatory fire safety provisions.
- Structures like the Rajkot game zone, accommodating 300 or more persons without permanent seating, fall under the assembly buildings category.
- Health Ministry in 2020 issued guidelines for third-party fire safety accreditation and fire response plans.
- In Gujarat, the Comprehensive Development Control Regulations, 2017, require the Chief Fire Officer’s opinion even for temporary structures.
- The Uphaar case (1997) was prosecuted with the charge of causing death by negligence (IPC 304A), hurt or grievous hurt by rash or negligent act (337, 338) by the owners of the cinema, and culpable homicide (304) and other sections in the case of theatre staff and public agency employees, such as the electricity authority.
Dig Deeper: Read provisions of the National Building code and Model building Bye-Laws.
