PIL in SC seeks uniform national fire safety standards for public premises
New Delhi, June 26
A public interest litigation has been moved before the Supreme Court seeking directions for the formulation and enforcement of a National Minimum Fire and Life-Safety Framework for high-risk public occupancy premises across the country, citing recurring fire tragedies in schools, hospitals, coaching centres, hotels and commercial establishments.
The writ petition, filed by advocate Narendra Kumar Goswami in his personal capacity, has sought directions to the Union and state governments to establish uniform minimum fire and life-safety standards for public buildings, irrespective of the existing regulatory framework in different states.
The plea contended that the existing legal framework governing fire safety remains fragmented and uneven across states and union territories, resulting in inconsistent standards and enforcement gaps that continue to endanger public safety.
The PIL has sought directions for the formulation and implementation of a National Minimum Fire and Life-Safety Framework covering schools, hospitals, coaching centres, hotels, guest houses, entertainment venues, commercial buildings and other public occupancy establishments.
It has prayed for effective mechanisms to ensure compliance with fire safety norms, periodic inspections, emergency preparedness, evacuation planning and accountability for violations by authorities and occupiers.
Referring to a series of fire tragedies across the country, the plea said the petition was necessitated by recurring incidents exposing systemic deficiencies in fire prevention, enforcement and public safety despite the existence of various statutory provisions and judicial directions.
The petition has referred to several major incidents, including the Uphaar Cinema fire, the AMRI Hospital fire, the Surat Takshashila Arcade coaching centre blaze, the Anaj Mandi fire, the Rajkot TRP Game Zone fire, the recent Malviya Nagar guest house fire in Delhi and the Aliganj coaching centre fire in Lucknow, among others.
"The recurring pattern of catastrophic fires demonstrates systemic regulatory failures, fragmented legal standards and inadequate enforcement mechanisms, resulting in continuing threats to public safety," the plea stated.
The PIL contended that the matter raises substantial questions of law concerning the enforcement of fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 21, and the constitutional obligation of authorities to ensure reasonable safety standards in public spaces.
It has also relied upon previous Supreme Court judgments, including Avinash Mehrotra v. Union of India relating to fire safety in schools and the apex court's suo motu proceedings concerning hospital fires, besides referring to the National Building Code, Model Building Bye-Laws, NDMA guidelines and the Model Fire Service Bill, 2019.
The petitioner said that a representation dated June 24 had already been submitted to the Union and state authorities seeking formulation and enforcement of a National Minimum Fire and Life-Safety Framework, but no effective action had been taken.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone who worked in fire safety auditing in the US before moving to India, the gaps here are shocking. In many states, fire NOCs are just rubber-stamped without actual inspections. A national framework is needed, but enforcement is key - we need surprise inspections and real penalties for violations, not just paperwork.
It's about time! Every time there's a fire tragedy, we see news channels doing those "safety audit gone wrong" exposés - narrow staircases, locked exits, no sprinklers. But nothing changes until the next tragedy. I appreciate this PIL for pushing systemic reform rather than just reactive measures. Article 21 right to life should mean safe public spaces!
Respectfully, I'm skeptical. We already have the National Building Code and various state rules - the problem isn't lack of standards but lack of will and corruption in enforcement. Without fixing the inspection and accountability system, a new framework will just be another document gathering dust. Also, small businesses in Tier-2 cities will struggle with compliance costs.
As a building contractor in Mumbai, I can tell you the ground reality is messy. Our fire brigade does good work, but the rules are different in every ward! A national minimum standard will help builders and architects plan better. My concern is implementation - will municipal corporations actually train their staff? Will there be a single portal for compliance? Let's hope this PIL leads to real change, not just court orders that get ignored.
This PIL should also include coaching centres! Remember that tragic fire in Surat where 19 students died because of a locked exit? And the Lucknow coaching centre fire last year? These
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.