Just two days after a tragic incident at a gaming zone in Rajkot claimed the lives of 28 people, including nine children, and left their bodies unrecognizably burnt, the municipal body of the city faced criticism from the Gujarat High Court. The Court pointed out the failure of the city’s municipal body to certify at least two similar structures in the area.
The Gujarat High Court expressed strong displeasure upon learning that two gaming zones had been operating without the necessary permits, including fire safety certificates, for a period of over 24 months each. The Court also voiced its lack of confidence in the state government, which is under the control of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP).
In a recent Court hearing, the Rajkot municipal body made a statement indicating that their approval had not been sought.
“This has been going on for two-and-a-half years. Are we to assume you turned a blind eye? What do you and your followers do?” the Court asked.
When the Gujarat High Court was informed that fire safety certification hearings have been unresolved for four years, the Court asked, “Have you gone blind? Did you fall asleep? Now we do not trust the local system and the state.”
During the proceedings, Advocate Manisha Luv Kumar Shah, representing the state government, admitted that two gaming zones in Ahmedabad were operating without permission. Shah further informed the court that a dedicated team had been established to thoroughly investigate these matters and submit a comprehensive report within 72 hours.
According to the court proceedings, it was revealed that there are a total of 34 mini-gaming zones inside malls in the city. However, three of these zones lack the mandatory no-objection certificate from the fire department.
The Gujarat High Court also pointed to the numerous other fire related incidents since 2023 resulting in deaths, injuries and destruction of properties.
This statement of the Gujarat High Court comes as a severe statement for what it alleges is a failure of the state machinery to ensure all businesses are functioning with proper clearances and licences.
-Namit Pandey