SC seeks reply from states on fire safety norms violation

The Supreme Court today sought response from all states on a PIL that alleged that builders and developers were violating fire safety norms specified in the National Building Code (NBC) of 2016.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud issued notice to all the states and sought their response in four weeks.

The Centre on other hand put the onus on the states for implementation of NBC saying fire safety is a state subject and falls under the purview of urban local bodies or urban development authorities.

"That as far as the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is concerned, its role is more of an advisory nature and give directions to the state government/UT administration for preparing/amending the state building byelaws as per the Model Building Bye-laws, 2016," the Centre in its affidavit said.

It said that the NBC-2016 has been prepared by Bureau of India Standards of Ministry of Consumer Affairs and is not a statutory document but an advisory one which has been circulated to the state governments with an advice to amend their respective building byelaws in accordance with the code.

The Centre said that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs vide order dated February 2, 2018 has issued advisory to the state governments to ensure adherence to the provision of NBC 2016 while undertaking the construction activities.

"They have to ensure proper enforcement of the provisions of fire safety in accordance with their respective building bye-laws and provisions of NBC, 2016."