EDITORIAL
Tragedies keep recurring because enforcement remains weak and inconsistent
At least 15 people, mostly students of a gaming and animation studio, were killed on Monday in a fire that engulfed a three-storey commercial building in Lucknow’s Aliganj. Six pets that were in the pet store and clinic in the same building also died.
Politicians across party lines condoled the deaths, and VIPs rushed to the spot “to take stock of the situation”. This has become the new normal after any tragedy. Also, VIPs cut short their visits and rush to meet survivors in hospital after having visited the tragedy site. By doing so, they want to let people know how much they care. In no time, financial assistance is also announced. Speaking to the media after visiting the site and meeting the injured, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak described the incident as “heart-wrenching” and “horrific”.
As expected, some arrests were made “promptly” in a show of “efficiency”. The FIR has alleged serious violations of fire safety norms and unlawful commercial use of the premises. It may not be a nightclub, but there are some similarities with the Birch fire tragedy at Arpora, which killed 25 people in December last year.
It has come to light that the building in Uttar Pradesh had been issued a demolition order in 2016 over unauthorised construction. Within two months, the demolition order was revoked. In August 2014, the building had received approval for a residential-use plan. But as seen on Monday, several commercial establishments were operating when the fire broke out.
The Uttar Pradesh government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a “time-bound investigation” into the incident. The constitution of such committees to probe tragic incidents is not new. Every state government does it. Goa also constituted one—a magisterial panel—some of whose recommendations have been implemented. As in the Lucknow case, there was no proper exit for those present at the nightclub to escape after the roof caught fire. Otherwise, the casualties would have been much lower. Both incidents share hauntingly similar patterns of systemic failure.
Just as in the Birch nightclub case, fire safety was thrown to the winds in Lucknow’s coaching centre building. Was the fire services department completely inefficient, or was it asked to look the other way? The SIT, hopefully, will bring out the skeletons in the cupboard. Whether any politician or bureaucrat will be indicted remains to be seen. When investigations find links to influential politicians, the report is often never made public.
The Lucknow tragedy has once again brought the critical issue of fire safety in commercial and public-use buildings to the forefront. After the Arpora tragedy, the Goa Fire and Emergency Services department is also under pressure and cannot issue NOCs without ensuring that safety measures are in place.
The lessons from Lucknow reinforce that enforcement must be consistent: periodic and unannounced inspections are far more effective than annual clearances. Goa, being a tourist state, must prioritise ensuring that every establishment is fire-safety compliant. States need to conduct audits of their buildings for compliance with fire safety norms. In a positive development, the Jaipur administration has launched a crackdown on coaching centres over fire safety. Fourteen establishments have been ordered to shut down, and show-cause notices have been issued to another two dozen.
Recent fires in homes, hotels and commercial buildings have exposed critical gaps between fire safety rules and their implementation. After some years, it remains to be seen whether state governments have learnt the “lesson” Pathak spoke of.
