Hotel fire aftermath : NHRC sends notice to Delhi govt, NDMC, police chief

  New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Delhi government, the city police chief and the area's civic body over the deadly fire incident at a hotel in Karol Bagh in which 17 people were killed, officials said on Thursday.

"This painful incident could have been avoided if the hotel management and the authorities concerned would have acted sincerely. This is indeed a very serious case of violation of human rights," the NHRC said. 

The rights panel has issued notices to the Delhi chief secretary, city police commissioner and the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) seeking a detailed report in the matter, an official said. 

The NHRC has also sought details on action taken against errant officers, and relief and rehabilitation provided to the next of kin of the deceased and injured persons.

The commission in the statement said it also "expects from the chief secretary to immediately form a committee of experts to look into the matter relating to violation of norms by the hotel owners, shopkeepers and other individuals or firms who are conducting commercial activities in the residential colonies and encouraging encroachment of public roads with recourse to illegal parking".

The committee should examine all the issues thoroughly and submit a report along with their suggestions to streamline these areas, making them safe and worth living for the citizens. The response is expected, within six weeks, the NHRC said. 

The commission is of the opinion that "it seems the authorities have not learnt any lessons from the tragic incidents that occurred in the recent past; no one appears to be bothered about the rules or norms to be followed by the building owners and local residents," the statement said. 

The commission said it has also observed that recently several workers had died at a cloth-ironing workshop in Karol Bagh area of Delhi after a steam boiler had caught fire and the victims got trapped due to cloth piles blocking the entrance.