Compensation of fire fighters’ kin: Bombay HC wants new policy

The Bombay high court has directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to frame a revised policy regarding compensation for the fire fighters who lost their life while discharging their duty. The court also directed the BMC to increase the amount of compensation and make arrangements of employment for at least one member of the family of the deceased.

The division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice A.A. Sayed was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Dr Sharmila Ghuge. The PIL sought direction from the authorities concerned to implement provisions of the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Act, 2006, and other allied provisions of law and guidelines issued in the matter as a relief to the families of deceased firemen.

The contention of the petitioner is that many high-rise buildings are constructed without following the guidelines laid down for fire safety, due to which many innocent lives have been lost in fire accidents. She has requested the court to direct authorities to take action against the owners and occupiers of high-rise buildings who do not follow the mandatory fire safety norms and misuse or do not provide refuge areas in the prescribed manner.

During the previous hearing, the high court asked the BMC to produce a policy for compensation and jobs for families of victims and those firemen who lost their lives in the line of duty. If there was no policy, the court asked the civic body to formulate one.

On Monday, BMC submitted its affidavit saying it has a policy of 2009, under which the BMC was giving a minimum of '10 lakh and a maximum of '18 lakh compensation to the families of the victims and the deceased. But there was no arrangement for employment, said BMC counsel Suresh Pakale.