HC to AMC: Seal any building that do not have a fire safety NOC

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat High Court raised concern on Tuesday, about 1413 buildings which fall within the jurisdiction of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and did not have a valid fire safety No Objection Certificate (NOC). While hearing a PIL, the Court urged the civic authority to temporarily close the premises of these buildings, as a precautionary step.

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) informed a division bench of Chief Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice Ashutosh Shastri that, as of June 9, 1128 residential buildings, 259 residential-cum-commercial buildings, and 26 commercial buildings within its jurisdiction (1413 in total) lacked valid fire NOC. In a sample study conducted by the Department of Urban Development, Government of Gujarat, 84.86 per cent of buildings in Gujarat were found to be without a ‘Building Use’ permit certificate, which the court found to be alarming. It said that the state government should come up with an action plan for its recommended remedial measures.

The bench said that the state administration should take adequate steps to ensure that four government schools and five state-run colleges under municipality areas in Gujarat, as well as seven government schools and 17 such institutions inside municipal corporation borders, have valid fire NOCs, otherwise it would be putting the life of students at risk.