FIRE SAFETY: 27 MORE HOTELS TO SHUT
In last three days, government has cancelled NOC of 57 hotels
NEW DELHI: Intensifying its drive against errant hotels, the Delhi government has cancelled fire safety certificates of 27 establishments for various violations in Karol Bagh area, where a massive fire at a hotel killed 17 people earlier this week.
On Friday, another 27 hotels' NOC cancelled. In all, NOC of 57 hotels out of 80 inspected are cancelled. All of them will be closed (sic), Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jain tweeted on Saturday.
Delhi minister Satyendar Jain expressed surprise that the owner of the hotel Arpit Palace in Karol Bagh where 17 people were killed in a fire earlier this week has not been arrested yet. He also alleged that the owner had a connection with the BJP. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also expressed shock on
micro-blogging site Twitter.
"It is important to form norms to be followed. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is allowing the illegal construction of such hotels by taking bribes. Even the owner of Arpit Hotel where the unfortunate fire incident took place
hasn't been arrested yet," the minister said.
"It seems that most likely he is a BJP leader hence no action is being taken. This shows that all these hotels are functioning by paying money to politicians. We, however, will make all these hotels comply with fire norms or make them shut down," he added.
In the last three days, the fire department of government has cancelled no objection certificate (NOC) of 57 hotels, ordering their closure as part of its drive in the aftermath of the Karol Bagh fire incident.
The government issued instructions to municipal corporations and police asking them to seal these establishments in the wake of violations of fire safety norms.
On February 13, 23 hotels were inspected by the fire department, and of these, 13 were found to be violating fire safety norms.
On Thursday, 22 hotels were checked, out of which 17 were found to be violating laid down rules. On Friday, Jain, who heads fire department, said that this drive would continue across the national capital.