Karol Bagh fire: Jain writes to Home department, demands action against erring officer

HT had, on Friday, reported how Panwar—who was at the time of granting permissions the DCFO of New Delhi zone—had granted fire clearances to at least 15 guest houses and restaurants in Karol Bagh, including Cross Road Bar & Restaurant at Hotel Arpit Palace, which falls under the jurisdiction of the south zone.

On the day Hindustan Times highlighted how a Delhi Fire Services (DFS) official bypassed procedures and subverted jurisdictional authority to provide fire clearances to at least 15 restaurants and guest houses in Karol Bagh, including the restaurant of Hotel Arpit Palace, Delhi Home minister Satyendar Jain wrote to the Home department, asking it to “urgently look into the allegations”. On February 12, a pre-dawn blaze at Hotel Arpit Palace had claimed 17 lives.

Firefighters seen outside Hotel Arpit Palace after a massive fire broke out at the hotel, at Karol Bagh, in New Delhi, India, on Tuesday, February 12, 2019 (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

“It has come to my notice through media reports that NOC was given by an officer belonging to a different zone. The matter should be looked into and the minister be apprised of the details,” read the minister’s note to the Home department.

On Friday, Jain said the onus of taking action against deputy chief fire officer Rajesh Panwar— who had, in 2016, granted clearances guest houses and restaurants that did not fall under his area of jurisdiction— lay with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal.

The L-G office said a magisterial inquiry has already been initiated to investigate the fire that broke out at Hotel Arpit Palace on February 12. “An inquiry in the case was already ordered by the L-G on the day of the fire. Action will be taken against the erring officials, if found guilty,” the L-G office said in a statement on Friday.

HT had, on Friday, reported how Panwar—who was at the time of granting permissions the DCFO of New Delhi zone—had granted fire clearances to at least 15 guest houses and restaurants in Karol Bagh, including Cross Road Bar & Restaurant at Hotel Arpit Palace, which falls under the jurisdiction of the south zone. In many cases, applications were filed and inspections were conducted on the same day. Permissions were also issued hurriedly — within a week. This entire process usually takes a minimum of 20-25 days.

Procedures were also bypassed in all of these cases. Documents show that inspection of all of these properties was conducted by Panwar. As per protocol, inspections are supposed to be conducted by the assistant divisional officer (ADO), and then reviewed by the divisional officer, the DCFO, the chief fire officer before finally being approved by the DFS director.

At present, Panwar holds the rank of DCFO south zone and GC Mishra is the fire chief.