E-Paper
Despite HC rebuke, LDA fails to take action against illegal hotels
The LDA “inaction” recently came to the fore when five miscreants came down from a hotel -- operating illegally in a residential area -- and torched a car that belonged to Army Major Abhijeet Singh
LUCKNOW Following the fire breakout in Hotel Levana Suites last year, which claimed four lives, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court had ordered the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) to crackdown upon hotels running illegally in the state capital. However, more than four months after the incident, nothing much has changed on the ground.
The LDA “inaction” recently came to the fore when five miscreants came down from a hotel -- operating illegally in a residential area -- and torched a car that belonged to Army Major Abhijeet Singh. The act of arson was committed after the Major asked the management of Gomti Nagar-based Hotel Milano and Cafe to turn down the music volume beyond the permissible time limit.
In the wake of the incident, it has been revealed that Hotel Milano was running illegally with the connivance of LDA staff. Now, the HC bench has taken suo moto cognisance of the incident and sought an affidavit from LDA by January 30. The affidavit must state the action taken against illegal hotels.
Incidentally, the fire department had identified 95 buildings lacking fire safety measures after the Levana fire incident. The department even issued notices to owners/occupiers of these buildings under section 3/4/5/6 of the Fire Prevention and Fire Safety Act, 2005. However, action against these buildings is yet to be taken.
‘After issuing notice, LDA looks the other way’
In a joint probe report submitted by divisional commissioner Roshan Jacob and Lucknow Police Commissioner SB Shiradkar, 19 persons were found responsible for the incident. However, action is yet to be taken against them.
Earlier, on June 19, 2018, seven people died in a fire in the adjoining Virat and SSJ International Hotels in Lucknow’s Charbagh area. In a similar incident on April 13, 2022, around 100 people were rescued after a fire breakout in Hotel Savvy Grand in Gomti Nagar. There were no deaths.
Despite these incidents, no action was taken against any guilty person or senior official, barring some “lower-rung” employees, said a senior LDA official. “After the Charbagh fire incident, there was much hue and cry. Even after four-and-a-half years, no action has been taken against anyone... The LDA is used to issuing customary notices to hotels and those undertaking illegal constructions. Sadly, after issuing notices, the LDA looks the other way,” added the official.
In a similar vein, a senior official of the state government said, “The Charbagh inferno in two adjoining hotels on June 19, 2018, claimed seven lives. No action has been taken against any LDA official responsible for illegal constructions. What can be a better example of LDA’s apathy towards illegal constructions.”
‘High time for govt intervention’
Fire incidents in two adjacent Charbagh hotels and then again in Hotel Levana Suites have shown that LDA failed to take action against officials responsible for these incidents. “Even if more such incidents take place, only customary inquiries will be conducted without taking action against anyone,” said Gyan Singh Chauhan, lawyer, Lucknow high court. He added, “It is high time for the state government to intervene and ensure action against those responsible for fire incidents in hotels and commercial establishments. Those undertaking the construction of illegal buildings should also be brought to the book.”
