HC queries Maha govt on safety issue after Sunday night fire

Days after the major fire at a 'Make in India' event, the Bombay High Court today told Maharashtra government that it should frame comprehensive guidelines to ensure safety of artistes and technicians on stage and also of the audience, if such rules do not exist already.
Hearing a PIL, a bench headed by Justice V M Kanade asked the government to file an affidavit in two weeks stating whether such guidelines or policy existed. Also, if such a policy or guidelines had been framed whether they were being implemented.
A massive blaze had on Sunday night engulfed the stage of the show held at Girgaum Chowpatty beach where several film celebrities and politicians were present, but there were no casualties.

"If such guidelines have not been framed yet, then it is high time that a policy or rules should be drawn immediately to ensure safety of artists and technicians on stage and also of the audience.
"This is not about this event where a fire broke out causing panic among the audience.... This is not a blamegame. Fortunately, the government took steps and no untoward incident happened and everyone was evacuated," the bench said.
The public interest litigation, filed by 'Association For Aiding Justice', sought safety measures for artists and others performing during an event.

The petition demanded that all those working on a production (set) or at an event should be given information to enable them to perform their job safely.

The PIL said that irrespective of the duration of the engagement period, all those working on a production or an event must be given an orienation at every work site where they perform. This must include information relevant to the event or production.
"There is no general code of safe practices for events like the one held at the Girgaum Chowpatty where the stage was engulfed in fire," said the petition.
Notably, in January this year, the High Court had refused permission to the Maharashtra to hold the mega event at the seafront.
However, the Supreme Court earlier this month stayed the High Court order and allowed the government to conduct the event at the beach to kickstart the 'Make in India Week' programme.

All the VVIPs present, including Chief Minister Devendra
Fadnavis, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan were safely evacuated following the fire at the cultural event held here as part of the 'Make in India' investment meet.
The programme was later called-off.
Bachchan had left the stage a few minutes before the fire started.
A division bench of High Court Justices A S Oka and C V Bhadang, while refusing to grant permission to the state government, had observed that permitting the government to hold such functions on the beach will be "faulty" to the guidelines of the committee, appointed by HC in 2001 to monitor activities on the beach.

The HC-appointed committee had in 2005 submitted guidelines on what activities and functions can be permitted to be held at the Girgaum Chowpatty.