HC to Ahmedabad civic body: Consider sealing buildings not possessing fire safety NOC

The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday expressed concern over 1,413 buildings in Ahmedabad municipal corporation limits not possessing valid fire safety NOC (no objection certificate) and directed the civic authority to consider sealing these premises to prevent any untoward incidents.

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) told a division bench of Chief Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice Ashutosh Shastri that 1,128 residential buildings, 259 residential-cum-commercial and 26 commercial buildings in its limits (total 1,413) do not have valid fire NOC as of June 9.

''...it is high time that AMC not only takes appropriate proceedings but also takes steps to seal such buildings which do not possess fire NOC as any mishap or a fire accident should not result in any untoward incidents of lives of the occupants being in danger,'' the court observed during hearing on a PIL.

The court also called it alarming that 84.86 per cent of buildings in Gujarat were found to be without 'Building Use' permission certificate in a sample survey carried out by the state urban development department.

The HC said the state government should come out with an action plan on its proposed remedial measures.

On four government schools and five state-run colleges in municipality areas in Gujarat, and seven government schools and 17 such colleges in municipal corporation limits not possessing valid fire NOC, the bench said the state administration should take appropriate steps to ensure they comply with norms.

''...the said schools and colleges should necessarily possess valid NOC, or the states would be putting the lives of students attending the said schools and colleges at risk,'' the HC said.

The HC is hearing a PIL seeking its direction to the authorities for fire safety and compliance with building use norms, especially in hospitals as several incidents of fire were reported in the recent past in health centres, resulting in casualties.

The bench fixed June 30 as the next date for hearing the case.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)