Rajkot Game Zone Fire: Sealing of premises in state continues

In Surat, the municipal corporation sealed 362 premises, including shops, salons, garages, eateries, schools, coaching centres, hotels and restaurants, hospitals, gyms and malls for not having fire NOC (no objection certificate) and BU (building use) permission.

Educational institutes that were sealed in Rajkot included Brilliant Classes and Hostel, Mehul School, New Era School, Gokul Vidyalayam, Shreyas Vidyalaya, K G Dholakiya School, Smt S K Pathak School, Jivanjyot Vidyamandir, Red and White Multimedia Education, Balvatika-cum-hostel, top floors of Panchshil and Sarvodaya schools, top floor of Gelma primary school, J V Vidyalaya and Hivanjyot Vidyalaya.

The RMC also sealed Salus Hospital and the fourth floor of Gajanand Hospital. Zanana hospital, the government-run hospital, was served notice. This came a day after 45 premises were sealed and 33 served notices on Friday.

The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) sealed around 125 shops at Sardar Bhavan Khancha in Raopura, leading to traders protesting. The traders claimed that the VMC sealed the shops lacking fire safety without any notice.

Rajendra Patel, a representative of the traders, said, “Our complex in Sardar Bhavan has been here since 1996 and we have never witnessed a fire. The VMC has never served us any notice. Even after the Takshashila fire in Surat, the VMC had cracked down on coaching classes but this time, it has locked up individual businesses saying that they will have to first install fire safety systems and then reopen.”

“It is difficult to get fire safety agents to attend to the installations immediately, as the demand is high. What will people eat until that time,” he asked.
Patel said that the Madhya Gujarat Vij Corporation Limited had snapped electricity supply four days ago, as the complex was unable to produce a fire NOC. “We were willing to occupy our premises without electricity and install the safety system but now they have sealed the premises.”

The SSG Hospital in Vadodara, the largest civic hospital in central Gujarat, saw a complete revamp and refilling of its existing fire systems on Saturday. Krishna Solanki, the hospital’s fire officer, said, “We are refilling the fire extinguishers and replacing those that are not functioning properly. We are also rechecking the hose pipe systems. Over 2,000 fire extinguishers are being rechecked.”

On Friday, too, the VMC had sealed 180 shops at Saraswati commercial complex in Manjalpur. Several of these establishments are coaching classes and computer training academies.

An owner of a computer training academy at the complex said, “We are not opposing this inspection. It is for everyone’s safety but there should be some logic behind the action… They can issue a notice to prohibit students from coming here but sealing the entire complex hampers work.” However, VMC Commissioner Dilip Rana maintained that the establishments are required to comply and have their premises reopened after installation of fire safety measures.

Meanwhile, Raopura BJP MLA and chief whip of the government, Balkrishna Shukla, told The India Express that the action being taken was “imperative”. “Many of these clustered shops in Sardar Bhavan or other areas are crowded and fire safety is taken for granted. Most of the owners have not even installed fire extinguishers. It is for everyone’s good that the action is stringent. As far as the sealing is concerned, they are being given the option to file affidavits stating that they will complete the necessary steps within a self-stipulated time. The seal is being reopened after the owners file such affidavits,” he said.

In Surat, 25 schools, three coaching classes, six hospitals, five hotels and restaurants, six godowns, nine embroidery units, three malls and two gyms, among others, were sealed on Saturday. Also sealed were two textile markets having 170 shops and a commercial complex with 99 shops.

Surat chief fire officer Basant Pareek said, “Earlier, we used to make the people whose properties were sealed to file affidavits stating that fire safety equipment will be installed within 30 days. Following this, we opened the sealed premises. But once the seal is opened, people intentionally do not install fire safety equipment or renew the fire NOC.”

“Now, senior officials will decide on what procedure should be followed for opening seals in the next couple of days,” he added.