E-Paper
After bulldozer order, Goa CM Pramod Sawant vows to cancel licenses if fire safety not met
The chief minister stated that to prevent such accidents from recurring, establishments have been instructed to adhere to all relevant rules and regulations.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday that the licences of tourist establishments in the state that do not have fire safety compliance will be cancelled, PTI reported.
Sawant stated that the government-formed fire safety audit committee has begun visiting various tourism establishments and will submit its report after completing the inspections.
"If the committee finds that the establishments have not complied with the fire safety norms, then their licences would be cancelled, and their premises will be sealed," he was quoted by PTI as saying.
The chief minister said that to ensure such accidents do not recur, the establishments have been asked to follow all the rules and regulations. Safety precautions will also be implemented for water sports and adventure sports, he said.
CM said that tourism stakeholders have also been asked to ensure that there are no physical fights between their employees and tourists. He also said that strict action would be taken against touts.
Bulldozer action after Goa nightclub fire
This comes after Goa authorities on Tuesday began demolishing Romeo Lane, the Vagator beach shack owned by Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, brothers who also run Birch in Goa, where fire killed 25 on the weekend, following an order from chief minister Pramod Sawant.
The demolition work started on Tuesday evening, according to the PTI news agency, with visuals circulating on social media appearing to confirm the action.
Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane restaurant in Goa, where a horrific fire incident occurred on Saturday, have filed a petition for anticipatory bail in Delhi's Rohini Court to avoid arrest.
The developments come days after the massive blaze broke out in the early hours of Sunday at a nightclub in Arpora, triggering a high-casualty incident and killing at least 25 people, most of whom were staff of the restaurant. The Government of Goa formed a committee to investigate the incident.
