'You turned a blind eye?': Gujarat HC rips into state government over Rajkot fire

Gujarat High Court on Monday took the state government to task over Rajkot gaming zone fire that killed 28 people questioning how the amusement centre had been operating for over 2 years without permits and clearance from the municipal body.

The development comes a day after a special bench of the Gujarat High Court on Sunday took suo motu cognizance of the fire incident at a game zone in Rajkot which left 28 persons dead and said it was prima facie a "man-made disaster".

The court has asked the advocate of the municipal corporation to appear before it on Monday.

The bench lost its cool when it was informed that the gaming zone had been operating for a long time, sans required permits or clearances, NDTV report said, adding that it said it could no longer trust the Gujarat government which is led by Bharatiya Janata Party.

Further, the court pulled up the body and questioned what it had been doing or did it turn a 'blind eye' or 'fall asleep'. The furious bench was at loss of words when it was told the fire safet certification hearing have been unresolved for couple of years.

The court's response was in Rajkot municipal body's answer that 'our approval was not taken...'

In a bid to reassure the court of action being taken, the advocates representing the state said three owners had been arrested and the further probe into the matter is 'ongoing'

Earlier on Sunday, the court said, "We are shocked to read newspaper reports which indicate that the gaming zone at Rajkot appears to have taken advantage of the loopholes in the Gujarat Comprehensive General Development Control Regulations (GDCR). These entertainment zones, as newspapers suggest, have come up without the necessary approvals from the competent authorities," the court observed.

The HC also wanted to know from the state government and the municipal corporations "whether such licenses, including the licenses to its use and compliance of fire safety regulations" were given to these respective (entertainment) zones that are in territorial jurisdiction of these corporations.

Quoting newspaper reports, the high court said temporary structures were created at the TRP game zone in Rajkot in order to overcome the hurdles caused in taking necessary permissions, no-objection certificates, including the fire NOC and construction permission.

Not just Rajkot, such game zones have come up in Ahmedabad city as well and they "pose a significant threat to public safety, specially the innocent children," it said.

"Apart from having constructed such gaming zones/ recreational activities, they have been put to use apparently, according to our information through the newspaper reports, without permission," the court said.