Delhi fire: Civic authorities doing more surveys of units in Anaj Mandi

New Delhi: Civic authorities are surveying units in the Anaj Mandi area after a massive fire there a few days ago in a four-storey building housing illegal factories claimed 43 lives, officials said on Wednesday.

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), a week before the accident, had conducted a survey of several properties in the area, including the building where the blaze took place.

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The upper floors of the four-storey building housing illegal manufacturing units, were found to be "locked" due to which the entire structure could not be inspected, officials had earlier said.

"Owners of 15 buildings, housing units, were given show-cause notices right after the survey and asked to reply in 48 hours. Many tend to vacate the premises by themselves, and if they don't we will seal those buildings," NDMC Commissioner Varsha Joshi said.

Asked if, a fresh survey was being done after the fire, she said, "Yes, survey is being done".

The NDMC has been conducting a sealing drive for the past several months to shut illegal units operating in North Delhi.

A preliminary probe by authorities suggested that a short-circuit triggered the fire which started on the building's second floor.

The fire incident has put a spotlight again on unauhthorised units operating in congested areas, a factor that hampered rescue operations.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday issued notices to the Delhi government, the city's police chief and the NDMC over the incident, describing the Anaj Mandi fire as a "catastrophe" that was waiting to happen.

The building was packed with combustible material and had just one door that opened into a narrow lane, virtually making it a "fire trap", fire officials had said.

The building which was left heavily damaged by the fire, is under Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2006 which protects unauthorised construction from being sealed.

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(PTI)