A bench of Justices Biren Vaishnav and Devan M Desai observed that prima facie, a man mad disaster had occurred, where innocent lives were lost.
The Gujarat High Court on a special hearing held on Sunday took suo motu cognisance of the fire incident at a gaming zone in Rajkot.
A bench of Justices Biren Vaishnav and Devan M Desai observed that prima facie, a man mad disaster had occurred, where innocent lives were lost.
“Prima Facie, a man made disaster has occurred where innocent lives of children have been lost and families have grieved today for the loss of lives in their respective families,” the Court said.
On Saturday evening, a fire broke out at a gaming zone in Rajkot, claiming at least 27 lives.
The Court expressed shock at news reports indicating that the gaming zone might have taken advantage of the loopholes in the Gujarat Comprehensive General Development Control Regulations (CGDCR) to pave its way for creating illegal recreational activities.
It took note that as per some Gujarati newspapers, the gaming zone had created temporary tin structures to overcome the technicalities in taking permissions.
Additionally, the Court noted that such gaming zones, apart from the city of Rajkot, have also come up in Ahmedabad and pose significant threat to public safety.
The Court concluded that prima facie, the disaster was man-made.
“Some newspapers also suggest that at the Rajkot Gaming Zone, there was stock of highly inflammable materials such as fuel and tyres, fiber glass shades etc,” it recorded.
Accordingly, the Court directed its registry to register a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) petition. It has sought responses from the Municipal Corporations of Surat, Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Baroda regarding the provisions of law under which these Corporations let these gaming zones, recreational facilities be set up or continued and be put to use.
“As newspaper reports have suggested that these zones have exploited the loopholes in the CGDCR, the State as well as the respective Corporations shall point out to us as in what manner and whether such license, including the license to use and compliance of fire safety regulations were undertaken by these gaming zones that are in the territorial jurisdiction of these Corporations,” the Court ordered.