NHRC Notice to Delhi Govt, Police Chief in Mustafabad Fire Case

The police had earlier said the fire had broken out in a factory on street number 23 of New Mustafabad area which comes under Dayalpur police station. "The National Human Rights Commission has taken a suo motu cognisance of media reports that in yet another major fire incident in the national capital, a 42-year-old man died, and six others, including a woman, suffered burn injuries on May 19, 2022. "The incident happened on the first floor of the building in a residential area of Mustafabad where electrical items such as inverters and stabilisers were being made. The factory was reportedly being run without a licence," the NHRC said in a statement. The Commission observed that the contents of the media report, if true, amount to violation of human rights of the victims.

Accordingly, it has issued a notice to the chief secretary, government of Delhi and the commissioner of police, Delhi seeking a detailed report in the matter within four weeks, including on the action taken against the guilty, compensation paid to the next of kin of the deceased, and status of the medical treatment being provided to workers, who have sustained injuries during the incident, the statement said. "The Commission has also observed that in order to avoid repeated fire incidents in Delhi, the department of Delhi Fire Service shall initiate a fire audit in multi-storied and any such buildings having no licence and/or not maintaining fire safety norms in the Delhi region, expeditiously and submit a report accordingly," it said.

The Commission further observed that in the National Capital Region, there are a large number of factories and other commercial units, which may be running without licences and proper safety arrangements for the occupants or workers. There is an immediate need for the authorities concerned to ensure strict compliance of safety norms at places engaged in commercial activities as also recommended earlier, it said. In a recent case, taking a suo motu cognisance of a similar incident, an on-spot investigation was conducted and the matter is under its consideration, the rights panel said.

According to the media reports, carried on May 20, the municipal authorities stated that a notice in this regard was served to the owner of the building and the case file was sent to the zonal office for taking action against the violators, but it is not known whether any action was taken on it by the zonal office, it said. The mayor of the area has stated that action will be taken against the defaulter under the rules and norms and no one will be spared, it added