Ahmedabad:

The Gujarat government on Friday informed the high court that it has framed “model rules” to regulate amusement rides and gaming zones to prevent tragedies like the May 25 fire incident in Rajkot.

Besides obtaining regular licences and approvals such as fire NOCs and building use (BU) permissions from the police and civic authorities, game zone owners must get approval from Ride Safety and Inspection committees.

Advocate General Kamal Trivedi informed the court that police commissioners will appoint such a committee for cities, and collectors will constitute the same at the district level.

A division bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Pranav Trivedi took the state government’s affidavit into consideration and kept the matter for hearing on August 23.

The bench had initiated a suo motu PIL after 27 persons, including four children, died in a massive fire that swept through a game zone in the Nana-Mava locality of Rajkot on May 25.

During a hearing in June, the bench had directed the state government to submit its response as to whether rules were framed under section 33 of the Gujarat Police Act, which provides for the powers and duties of the licensing authority.

In his response, Trivedi told the bench that the state home department has framed “model rules” called the Gujarat Amusement Rides and Gaming Zone Activities Safety Rules, 2024, after incorporating suggestions made by the public.

“These model rules have been sent to all police commissioners and district magistrates (collectors) to notify these rules from their end by incorporating necessary changes, if any. All provisions are very comprehensive,” he said.

He said the rules contain detailed definitions of all games and amusement rides, procedures for their installation, licensing provisions, inspection of rides, prior approval, supervision, renewal and aspects related to suspension of licences.

“For the renewal of licence, a certified person will visit the facility, review aspects listed in annexure 1 and issue a certificate, which will then be verified by city rides safety and inspection committee or district rides safety and inspection committee,” Trivedi said.

People who want to start a gaming zone or install a ride must get it inspected, and a licence will be issued after approval from the committee, he said, adding that no installation was permitted without prior permission.

The chief justice then asked the state government to ensure police commissioners and collectors notified these rules in two weeks, and committees were formed one week thereafter.

Each committee will comprise technical experts not below the rank of Class-2 officers from the state government, board or corporation, the bench was told.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Ahmedabad:

The identities of nine bodies recovered from the fire-ravaged TRP Game Zone in Rajkot have been established through DNA analysis, said Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi on Monday.

As many as 27 persons, including children, were killed in a massive fire at the recreation centre on May 25. Since the bodies were charred beyond recognition, the state government is taking the help of a forensic science lab to identify the victims through DNA profiling.

As the process is time-consuming, several anxious families waiting outside the Rajkot Civil Hospital to collect the bodies of their families got into a heated argument with local police on Monday.

Mr Sanghavi visited the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Gandhinagar and announced that it has so far identified nine victims by matching their DNA samples with the samples of their relatives.

“I can understand the anger of the families who have lost their loved ones. FSL is also working around the clock. Entire FSL staff have cancelled their holidays and other travel plans so that all the samples are analysed as early as possible. I have reviewed the progress and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel is also taking updates every hour,” Mr Sanghavi told reporters.

Since it was impossible to collect blood samples from the charred bodies, forensic experts have collected bone samples to match the DNA of the victims and their relatives, said Mr Sanghavi.

“It would have taken nearly four hours if samples were brought to Gandhinagar by road. To expedite the DNA matching process, the CM ordered the deployment of an air ambulance” he said.

The minister said the process of matching DNA started at FSL early on Sunday morning and a team of 18 forensic experts has been working round to clock since then so that the bodies can be handed over to their relatives after identification.

“This process is lengthy and it involves nine steps. Blood samples of relatives are matched with blood or bone samples of the victims for matching DNA. Usually, each sample analysis would take nearly 48 hours.

Till now, nine dead bodies have been identified. Eight samples are currently under analysis. We will inform the relatives as soon as reports arrive,” he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Rajkot:

Twenty people have died in the massive fire that broke out at a gaming zone in Gujarat’s Rajkot on Saturday evening, said officials. A relief and rescue operation is underway.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel had instructed officials to prioritize arrangements for immediate treatment of the injured.

“Instructions have been given to the Municipal Corporation and the administration for immediate rescue and relief operations in the fire incident in the game zone in Rajkot. It has also instructed to prioritize arrangements for immediate treatment of the injured,” Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said. 

રાજકોટમાં ગેમ ઝોનમાં સર્જાયેલી આગની દુર્ઘટનામાં તત્કાલ બચાવ અને રાહત કામગીરી માટે મહાનગરપાલિકા અને વહીવટી તંત્રને સૂચનાઓ આપી છે. ઇજાગ્રસ્ત લોકોને તાત્કાલિક સારવાર મળે તે માટેની વ્યવસ્થાઓને અગ્રતા આપવા પણ સૂચના આપી છે.

— Bhupendra Patel (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Bhupendrapbjp) May 25, 2024

“The rescue operations are on. The fire is under control. We are trying to retrieve as many bodies as possible. As of now, around 20 bodies have been recovered and they have been sent to the hospital for further investigation. Investigations will be carried out. The gaming zone is owned by a person called Yuvraj Singh Solanki. We will be registering an offence for negligence and the deaths which have occurred,” Rajkot Police Commissioner Raju Bhargava said.

A fire officer told ANI that, “The reason for the fire is yet to be ascertained. The attempts to douse the fire are underway. We have not received any message of missing persons. We are facing difficulty in the firefighting operation because the temporary structure has collapsed and due to wind velocity

#WATCH | Rajkot, Gujarat: Fire officer IV Kher says, “The reason for the fire is yet to be ascertained. The attempts to douse the fire are underway. We have not received any message of missing persons. We are facing difficulty in the firefighting operation because the temporary… https://t.co/Gd9N1Pd8kapic.twitter.com/v09kJcL0V3

— ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2024

“We will then be able to find out the exact number of casualties inside the zone (after fire is controlled). We will also investigate the cause of the fire, and a message has been issued to all the gaming zones in the city to shut down,” he said.

– With Inputs from PTI