Telangana government asked to show fire safety plans at Numaish

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Tuesday directed the state government and fire services department to submit to it by Wednesday, the safety measures taken at the Numaish grounds in Nampally and asked how the exhibition was permitted to continue after a fire broke out.  

The court brushed aside the government special counsels plea that Wednesday was too short a time to get the details.

Expressing its displeasure at this reply, the court said the government is duty bound to submit the information. "You may work all the night under the light of a lamp or do whatever. By the morning all information has to be placed before the court. We do not sit here to advise you as a senior to tell you how to work," the court said sternly.

A division bench comprising Justice Ragha-vendra Singh Chauhan and T. Amarnath Goud was dealing with a petition that sought directions to close the exhibition in the city for not complying with fire safety measures and not obtaining an NOC from the fire services department. The bench questioned how the government had permitted the Numaish to continue even after the major fire broke out and without an NOC from the fire department.

Advocate Khaja Aijazuddin, appearing as a party in person, submitted that the exhibition society had been negligent in taking permissions and sought the closure of the exhibition. However, the court refused his prayer to direct the closure of the exhibition.

The next hearing is on Wednesday.