The Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government and local development bodies to submit a standard operating procedure aimed at preventing future fire disasters, following a major blaze last month that killed 15 people in the state capital.
Court Orders Response From State Authorities
The Lucknow division bench, comprising Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Manjeev Shukla, issued the order during a hearing on a public interest litigation. The court has requested formal responses from the state government, the Lucknow Development Authority, and the state power corporation regarding the incident.
The matter is scheduled for its next hearing on August 4.
Petitioner Seeks Independent Inquiry
The litigation was initiated by petitioner Shivendu Pandey, who asked the court to order an independent, time-bound investigation into the tragedy. To ensure transparency and fairness, the petition proposed that the probe be overseen by a court-appointed committee.
A broad range of government entities have been named as respondents in the petition, including the central government, the Uttar Pradesh government, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation, the Lucknow Development Authority, the chief fire officer, and the state power corporation.
Tragedy Sparks Safety Concerns
The legal action stems from a June 22 fire that tore through a multi-storey building in Lucknow’s Aliganj neighborhood. The fatal incident required a large-scale firefighting response and has intensified public scrutiny regarding fire safety protocols, municipal emergency readiness, and building regulation compliance.
