[Rajkot Gaming Zone Fire] Amusement Rides Used By Youngsters, Making Them Aware Of Safety Rules Would Be Beneficial: Gujarat High Court

While hearing a plea pertaining to a fire which occurred at a gaming zone in Rajkot earlier this year, the Gujarat High Court Friday called for spreading awareness of the model rules concerning the safety of the public using amusement rides and gaming zones, especially among “young people”.

A division bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Pranav Trivedi was hearing a suo-motu initiated by the high court after twenty-seven individuals, including four children, perished in the massive fire that engulfed the game zone in Rajkot's Nana-Mava locality on May 25.

Framing of Model Rules for the safety of amusement rides and gaming zones

During the hearing, the state government informed the high court that it had framed the “model rules”–Gujarat Amusement Rides and Gaming Zone Activity Safety Rules which provide for the “safety of public and repair, maintenance, use, operation and inspection of all amusement rides and gaming zone activities”.

On the larger implementation and awareness building of the rules, the Chief Justice orally said, “Most of these rides are being used by young people and so they should also be aware. If we make our young generation aware our society would be better”.

Perusing the categories of rides mentioned in the rules, the high court orally remarked that many such rides/devices are installed in small areas outside malls and are scattered over the entire city or district. The court said that the concerned authority must publicise the rules in a manner that it attracts the attention of the people who go to enjoy the rides.

“They will also be conscious. People will start voicing that have you taken permission…,” the court said.

On the court's query the state government said that apart from notifying the rules, publicity of the same will be carried out so that “everyone comes to know that any activity which falls within four corners of the rules come in line”.

“We have framed the model rules, put them in public domain, invited objections finalised and have forwarded to each of the commissionerates to fall in line with this with whatever improvement they want to make depending on the area,” the counsel appearing for the state government said.

Thereafter, the court said that the notification of the Rules and the requisite committees prescribed under the rules should be constituted and notified within three weeks.

In calling for an orientation programme on the new model rules, the Chief Justice said, “If you are making certain new changes and putting the responsibility of officers subordinate to you you have to have an orientation programme. Let the commissioner and DM of each district take an orientation and instruct them (officers). This is institutionalization. Otherwise every time a collector shifts responsibility on someone else. And the other person will shift it on someone else. It's about people's lives. People who are in charge of these people who are otherwise playing with their life at least they should be sensitised”.

To this, the state government said that it shall “definitely” do the same.

On fire service being one state service

With respect to the fire service being one state service, the high court orally said, “This fire service is conceived as one state service and is split up into corporations. Then the regulatory measure at the end of the State is very important”.

On this, the state government informed the court that there was already a Director, Fire Services in place.

The Chief Justice, therefore, called for an affidavit from the Director, Fire Services to bring before the court the infrastructure and manpower of the fire department, as well as the present status report.

The matter is next listed on August 23.

Case title: Suo Motu v State of Gujarat and others