Anaj Mandi must not happen again
Create a single licensing and regulatory authority for safety
The massive fire that killed at least 43 people in an industrial unit in Delhi has raised disturbing, but all-too familiar, questions. The capital has witnessed several fire tragedies in recent years. But each time, a predictable script plays out. There is shock on the first day. There is a subsequent blame game between different agencies, and the state and the Central government, given the unique power sharing arrangement between the two. The story eventually fades. And it is business as usual, till the next tragedy strikes.
The Anaj Mandi fire has shaken Delhi’s citizens. Poor migrant workers, in search of livelihoods, cramped in a small space, after a week of rigorous work, suddenly found themselves choking to death. Their final calls to family members reveal their vulnerability, and bring home the grief that has struck the families. But at a larger level, it reflects the crisis and failure of urban governance. The factory unit was illegal since it was operating in an area where commercial operations (shops) were only allowed on the ground floor. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) knew of its existence, and had even inspected it last week, but it did not seal the unit. The unit also did not have a clearance from the Delhi Fire Service. Predictably, the Central government has blamed the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government for allowing it to operate without a fire clearance and blamed it for delaying area redevelopment plans, while the Delhi government has asked why the MCD did not take action when it could. The fact that the Delhi assembly elections are approaching makes the politics around the tragedy even more competitive.
But if Delhi has to avert such accidents in the future, it is time to go back to the drawing board. Every administrator, and citizen, knows that the core of the problem is the multiplicity of agencies. It is time to have a single regulatory and licensing authority. This authority must be mandated with the power to assess proposals, give licences to legal entities, enforce compliance with all regulations, and crack down when any unit is found to be in violation of rules or safety norms. Anaj Mandi must never happen again.