Letter to BS: Delhi fire tragedy shows how lethargic govt officials are

This refers to “Building owner, manager arrested” (December 9). The fire in New Delhi in which killed 43 persons in a building is a stunning example of flouting of laws with gay abandon — a five-floor structure housing factories and and a host of other violations.

That such a cavalier set up kept functioning uninterrupted by the owner's conscience or law enforcing authorities tells how lethargic or corrupt or both are the officials in civic administration, labour department, state government and the central government. This is also the reason for frequent deaths in the national capital in public buildings, hotels and cinema theatres such as Uphar. Going by the Uphar case, it is anybody's guess how much time it will take to decide the present one in a court and whether the punishment will be exemplary.

It also raises the question whether the government’s move to end “inspector raj” in factories is a case of misplaced trust in the self-inspection honesty of factory owners.  

Y G Chouksey, Pune

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