rajkot fire: Where there’s fire, there’s shoddiness

In the span of just 24 hours over the weekend, India witnessed two devastating fires, starkly exposing the nation’s deep-seated neglect and apathy towards law enforcement and compliance. On May 25, at least 27 people died when a fire broke out at a gaming zone in Rajkot. Eight people, including four government officials, have been arrested. A day later, a fire swept through a children’s hospital in east Delhi, killing six newborn babies, and injuring five other infants. The owner and a doctor have been arrested.

Both disasters were man-made. Investigations suggest that the fire in Rajkot was ignited by sparks from a welding machine, which landed on inflammable materials. Crucially, the facility was operating without a fire NOC. In the hospital case, the facility was operating without a licence. While city administrations have swung into action after these tragedies, they are responsible for them. A government’s job is not just to dole out licences but to ensure that licensees follow the rules in letter and spirit. The responsibility for both these fires lies not just with the owners of the park and hospital but also with officials, planners and inspectors who were asleep at the wheel. They must be held accountable.

It is also imperative that governance at local levels is improved, and laws such as the national building code and fire safety norms are implemented properly, with a local focus. To do this, empower local authorities to participate in designing systems and schemes so that right kind of infra is in place. This would mean staffing local authorities with trained personnel and resources. India must first bridge the gap between regulations and implementation, and ensure accountability at every level. Only then can it claim to be viksit.