Supreme Court Demands Action on Fire Safety Infrastructure Gaps

The Supreme Court has called for responses from the Centre and relevant authorities regarding a plea to address infrastructure and manpower deficiencies in fire services and disaster preparedness. The plea, prompted by a tragic 2019 Surat fire incident, seeks national-level accountability and improved emergency response mechanisms.

The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Centre and other authorities on a plea concerning significant infrastructure and manpower gaps in fire services, particularly in light of disaster preparedness. The plea pushes for a comprehensive evaluation and remedial measures to strengthen fire safety protocols across the nation.

The case, heard by Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, arises from a petition filed by a father who lost his daughter in a 2019 fire incident in Surat. The plea highlights failures in adhering to the National Building Code of India 2016, resulting in frequent fire-related tragedies nationwide.

The petitioner demands the establishment of an accountability dashboard for emergency response, mandatory district-level fire risk audits, and a high-level judicial commission to ensure implementation of disaster management mandates. It also calls for a constitutional amendment for emergency protection rights and uniform compensation for disaster-related deaths.

(With inputs from agencies.)