Fire safety norms flouted in city; BMC callous, says PIL

Giving examples of the fire breakout at Mantralaya and CST, the PIL recommended installations as per Section 42 of the Act.

A PIL filed in the Bombay High Court has accused the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation of callousness in enforcing mandatory installations of fire equipment in shops and other establishments.

In his PIL, Dinar Sohoni, a lawyer, has alleged that several hotels and shops in the city are flouting fire safety norms as prescribed in the Bombay Shops and Establishments Act, 1948.

According to the PIL, after surveying major parts of the city and suburbs, Sohoni found that many hotels did not have adequate fire safety apparatuses, especially fire extinguishers.

The lawyer said he shot off letters to around 25 shops and hotels, of which only one replied. After not getting satisfactory response from the hotels, Sohoni sought information from assistant municipal commissioners (AMC) of nine wards in the city. Though the municipal officers provided him with some data, Sohoni alleged they asked him to write to the fire brigade department as it is the licensing authority.

The fire brigade department in turn directed the petitioner to approach the AMCs as they are the prosecuting authorities, claimed Sohoni.

“Both the BMC and the fire brigade department are providing wrong data which is as good as not giving data,” the PIL claimed.

Giving examples of the fire breakout at Mantralaya and CST, the PIL recommended installations as per Section 42 of the Act.

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Sohoni urged that the municipal authority as well as the fire department be directed to provide correct data as sought. In addition, the PIL sought directions to the BMC for prosecuting and penalising all establishments that have failed to implement fire safety measures, as per Section 52 of the Act, which prescribes ‘offences and penalties’.

aamir.khan@expressindia.com

Aamir Khan

Aamir Khan is the Head-Legal Project for Indian Express Digital, based in New Delhi. With over 14 years of professional experience, Aamir's background as a legal professional and a veteran journalist allows him to bridge the gap between complex judicial proceedings and public understanding. Expertise Specialized Legal Authority: Aamir holds an LLB from CCS University, providing him with the formal legal training necessary to analyze constitutional matters, statutes, and judicial precedents with technical accuracy. Experience Press Trust of India (PTI): Served as News Editor, where he exercised final editorial judgment on legal stories emerging from the Supreme Court of India and various High Courts for the nation's primary news wire. Bar and Bench: As Associate Editor, he led the vanguard of long-form legal journalism, conducting exclusive interviews and producing deep-dive investigative series on the most pressing legal issues of the day. Foundational Reporting: His expertise is built on years of "boots-on-the-ground" reporting for The Indian Express (Print) and The Times of India, covering the legal beats in the high-intensity hubs of Mumbai and Delhi. Multidisciplinary Academic Background: * LLB, CCS University. PG Diploma in Journalism (New Media), Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai. BSc in Life Sciences and Chemistry, Christ College, Bangalore—an asset for reporting on environmental law, patent litigation, and forensic evidence. ... Read More

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