In the wake of the Rajkot gaming zone fire, former Gujarat chief minister Shankersinh Vaghela wrote to Governor Devvrat Acharya , appealing for the establishment of a separate commissionerate of fire safety and disaster management. He also called for a transparent and effective single-window online licensing authority system.
“Taking lessons from such incidents, I request you to direct the state government to show a people-oriented human approach. On the lines of disaster management, a separate arrangement should be created. Instead of taking temporary solutions, a commissionerate should be set up with fire safety and disaster management coordination. As licencing authority and clearances are with different local bodies, this should be replaced with a single-window online system under the supervision of vigilance officers,” Vaghela stated in his letter.
A massive fire broke out at the indoor game zone in Rajkot city on May 25, killing 28 people, including children, and injuring nine people. According to officials, the TRP gaming zone did not have the fire department’s no-objection certificate (NOC).
Vaghela highlighted the other accidents in the state, including the 2019 Surat fire that killed 22 children, the 2022 Morbi bridge collapse in which 134 people lost their lives, and last year’s boat capsize in the Harni lake where 14 people, including 12 children, died. He also pointed to the state government’s ‘stereotypical assurances,’ including compensation for victims’ families, forming indecisive special investigation teams (SITs), and transferring or suspending officials.
Hoping for the Governor to lead the state government in a way that prevents future incidents in Gujarat, Vaghela has also suggested creating standard safety norms for public places.
“An effective and transparent system should be created for places like hospitals, colleges, schools, theatres, malls, gaming zones, water parks, construction sites, and commercial complexes with larger footfall under the state government, district and taluka level. There should be strict legal action against corruption and dereliction of duty by government officers for putting people’s lives at stake for financial gains,” the letter stated.
Further suggestions included a uniform provision of exemplary punishment for officers concerned, employees, and private or government contractors so that these incidents are not repeated. A portal should be created where people can check if government rules are followed or not in public places. They can check copies of the necessary permissions for themselves, he added.
