May 30,2019:
On Thursday, Delhi High Court Bench stated that,"Fire clearance norms of AAP Government for operating restaurants here were "moronic" and responsible for fire accidents".
Justice Vibhu Bakhru made the above stated observations after Court was told that according to the guidelines, a fire clearance was not granted by considering the capacity of a building where one or more restaurants may be located, but by taking into account the number of seats in each eatery.
HC Bench stated that if a building has a separate restaurant on each of its floors, none of them would need fire clearance as long as their individual seating was below 50.
Bench added that,"It is moronic, for want of a better word. No wonder fire accidents happen. You (government) are looking at it (fire clearance) in the wrong way. You have to look at it building-wise".
Delhi HC's observations came while hearing the pleas by two restaurants, run from separate floors of a single building at Hauz Khas Village, challenging their sealing for lack of fire clearance.
While issuing notice to Delhi Government and other local authorities, seeking their stand in the matter, HC Bench stated that,"Prima facie, fire clearance has to be looked at from the view of capacity of building as a whole and not restaurant-wise."
Petitioner, thereafter, agreed to keep one of the restaurants closed till requisite clearances are received and sought permission to run the other one at reduced capacity.
Court asked authority to immediately take a decision on receipt of the application and to allow operation of the second restaurant if it conforms to all the guidelines.
High Court has listed the matter for further hearing on August 26.
Source PTI
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