Despite the recent fire incident at Satpura Bhawan in Bhopal, the Fire Safety and Audit Bill is still under preparation and unlikely to be presented in the upcoming monsoon session of the State Assembly. The bill has been in the works since 2022, after a massive fire broke out in a private hospital in Jabalpur that prompted the Urban Development and Housing Minister to announce the state’s own Fire Safety and Audit Act.
Officials from the Urban Development and Housing Department studied the best practices of fire safety in Mumbai, Hyderabad, and New Delhi, and were supposed to present the bill in the next assembly session in 2022. However, the bill is yet to see the light of day, as objections and claims still need to be invited, and the Hindi translation of the draft is yet to be done. Once the bill is sent to the cabinet and approved, it can finally be tabled in the assembly.
In addition to the Fire Safety and Audit Bill, another bill related to the Modern Tenancy Act is being formulated by the Urban Development and Housing Department to safeguard the interests of house owners and tenants. This is in light of the rising number of people in major towns and cities who require rented accommodation for work.
Despite the outcry for a proper fire safety system after the Satpura Bhawan incident, it seems the state government is taking its time in ensuring proper legislation for fire safety and tenancy. Until the Fire Safety and Audit Bill is presented and passed, it is important for individuals and establishments to take necessary precautions to prevent fires and ensure their own safety.
