Anaj Mandi Fire Tragedy - Delhi

Why in news?

At least 43 were dead and 16 were injured in a fire at an illegal factory in Anaj Mandi area, north Delhi.

What are the shortcomings identified?

• Multiple rules were broken, including -

1. running factories in residential areas
2. lack of a no-objection certificate from the fire department
3. workers living on the factory premises

• Most of the workers came from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, and virtually slept at night next to the machines they worked on.
• Probe should reveal if the victims were locked in and obstructed by materials stacked on staircases.
• In that case, the culpability of those responsible would be enormously higher.

What are the larger concerns?

• The Anaj Mandi tragedy is the latest in a long list of fatality-causing fires in the national capital.
• All of such incidents were invariably the result of lax vigilance and rule-breaking by local authorities.
• The tragedy is yet another reminder for the dangerous conditions of the country’s industrial units.
• Poorly paid labourers live and work in several residential buildings turned into unregistered factories.
• The factory and other such units are allowed to function illegally, without safety audits.
• Slums and crowded residential areas take up the bulk of the city’s space.
• These spaces are all much prone to fire hazards.
• State and central governments, which divide the city’s administration between them, blame each other.

What lies ahead?

• Neither the Delhi government nor the Centre, which has control of law and order in the national capital, can escape responsibility.
• The building’s owner and the manager have been arrested to pacify public anger.
• Initial financial relief has also been announced for the victims in the Anaj Mandi fire.
• But, it is to be seen whether any punitive action will be taken against complicit local municipal officials.
• Political parties, civil society and government must chart a new course, with a plan to make the older, built-up areas safe.
• Also, rules under the new occupational safety code must be strong enough to protect workers.

Source: The Hindu, Business Standard