06 Jun, 2024
Delhi HC Orders Govt to Establish Fire Safety Norms for Hospitals and Nursing Homes
In a significant move towards enhancing fire safety, the Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi government to decide within four weeks on a proposal to establish basic fire safety norms, including mandatory sprinkler systems, for smaller hospitals and nursing homes. This directive follows a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Yugansh Mittal.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet P.S. Arora instructed the Delhi government to treat the PIL as a formal representation and provide a reasoned decision in line with legal requirements.
The court also mandated that an Action Taken Report be filed within eight weeks.
The PIL was prompted by the tragic incident on May 26 at the Baby Care New Born Hospital in Vivek Vihar, where a massive fire killed seven newborns.
Mr. Mittal's petition urged authorities to inspect smaller hospitals and nursing homes to ensure compliance with fire safety norms as per the Delhi Fire Service Rules, 2010. He highlighted a news report indicating that out of nearly 1,000 hospitals registered with the Delhi government, only 196 have a fire no-objection certificate (NOC).
Mittal referenced a news report stating that out of approximately 1,000 hospitals registered with the Delhi government, only 196 have obtained a fire no-objection certificate (NOC).
He emphasized that essential fire safety measures, such as fire extinguishers and automatic fire alarms, should be mandatory for all buildings under nine meters in height, as their absence poses a significant threat to human life.
The counsel for the Delhi government expressed readiness to incorporate reasonable and fair suggestions into the fire safety regulations, recognizing the non-adversarial nature of the proceedings.
As a result, the court concluded the petition, directing that the plea be treated as a representation and resolved through a reasoned order in accordance with the law within four weeks.
The next hearing for the monitoring of the Action Taken Report is set for August 9.
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