The Jharkhand High Court on February 1, 2023, took suo motu cognisance of the Dhanbad high-rise fire incident during which 14 individuals, together with ladies and kids, had been charred to dying and 18 others had been injured. While citing information stories, the High Court was listening to a suo-moto Public Interest Litigation (PIL) within the incident.

Today, it ordered a time-bound fire safety audit throughout the state and requested the State to file detailed report on this matter.The incident befell on January 31, 2023, after a significant fire broke out on the second flooring of Ashirwad Tower within the Joraphatak space of Dhanbad, about 160 km from the state capital Ranchi.

Observing that it may’t stay a silent spectator to the lack of human lives in fire incidents, a division bench presided over by Acting Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice Deepak Roshan issued notices to the Director General of Fire Safety and Urban Development Department Secretary to file their response to a PIL over fire safety. The bench additionally issued notices to the civic our bodies in all districts and the respective deputy commissioners to ensure that fire safety requirements are stringently complied with. It additional directed the officers to make sure that all fire safety protocols are carried out per the prescribed necessary guidelines.

Advocate General Rajiv Ranjan knowledgeable the courtroom that two committees have been constituted to look at the current incidents in Dhanbad and different districts and to submit a report within the matter. “The Deputy Commissioner Dhanbad has constituted two committees. One is to find out the cause of the fire and also investigate whether all safety guidelines related to fire safety were fulfilled or not. The second committee will find out the structural damage to the building. We will submit these reports to the court”, he stated. He additionally talked about that the state authorities will apprise the courtroom through affidavits concerning fire safety requirements within the state, compliance with maps supplied in constructing bylaws, and compliance with fire safety pointers by city municipal our bodies.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next-of-kin of the departed. The Prime Minister additionally declared that an quantity of Rs 50,000 every has additionally been sanctioned for the injured within the incident.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has additionally introduced a compensation of Rs four lakhs for the relations of those that misplaced their lives within the mishap. The Jharkhand Chief Minister stated that directions have been given to the district administration to offer correct therapy and different amenities to the individuals injured within the accident.

The High Court has scheduled the upcoming listening to for February 17, 2023.