Identify those who let violators flourish

In light of a recent fire mishap at a cafe in Bengaluru, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has undertaken a drive to identify and shut down eateries, restaurants and pubs that do not follow safety norms. While this long-pending exercise is welcome, the BBMP is also accused of being selective in its action. Of the more than 1,300 establishments audited, BBMP has shut down 60 restaurants and rooftop bars. Another 600 establishments face the threat of closure for not providing adequate fire safety measures. During the audit, the civic body found that at least 200 bars and restaurants were running in the state capital without even a trade licence. The last such audit was conducted in 2017, taking a cue from the Kamala Mills fire tragedy in Mumbai that killed over 20 people. The ongoing drive is, however, marred by health officers following different standards in different places, with establishments being shut down in large numbers only in particular zones. As per the Karnataka Fire Force Act, 1964, which was amended in 2023, a no-objection certificate from the Karnataka State Fire and Emergency Services Department is needed only for high-rise buildings that are 21 meters or above in height. However, many restaurants that are operating in buildings that are less than the specified height have been slapped with notices for not obtaining permission from the fire department.  This has exposed the BBMP to the charge that it is targeting the small fish while letting the big ones go scot-free.

A separate audit by the fire department has identified more than 240 rooftop restaurants that have violated fire safety norms and licence rules. BBMP Chief Health Officer A S Balasundar has said there is no provision to grant permission to any restaurant or pub on terraces under the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act. However, it is no secret that some of Bengaluru’s upscale watering holes are located on the terraces of tall buildings. Many of them have been functioning for more than a decade without adhering to basic safety standards. Top actors, bureaucrats and politicians are known to own or have stakes in many of these establishments.

That a large number of restaurants, pubs and bars have been functioning without even a trade licence from the BBMP or a no-objection certificate from the fire department only indicates that they enjoy the support of BBMP and fire department officers, besides that of the local MLA. While the authorities should continue with their drive and crack the whip on those violating norms, the BBMP, the fire department and the government must also identify and punish officers who have allowed this state of affairs to flourish.