Kaka Ram v. State Of Punjab & ANR
IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH
Date of Decision: 13.02.2023
Kaka Ram .....Petitioner versus State of Punjab and another .....Respondents
Kaka Ram ....Petitioner
Versus
State of Punjab and another ....Respondents
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE RAVI SHANKER JHA, CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ARUN PALLI, JUDGE Present :
Mr. L.S.Sidhu, Advocate, for the petitioner.
Mr. Deepak Balyan, Addl. Advocate General, Haryana. Mr. K.S.Kang, Sr. Deputy Advocate General, Punjab. Mr. Hardeep Saini, Advocate for Mr. J.P.Rana, Advocate, for respondent No.4.
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#!$ % & '( Both these petitions have been filed by the petitioner alleging that the respondent-authorities are recklessly issuing licences for opening Cinema Halls in the States of Punjab and Haryana without ensuring compliance of the fire safety arrangements in the Cinema Halls. Pursuant to the notices issued by this Court, both the States of Punjab as well as Haryana have filed several status reports placing on record the steps taken by them towards ensuring compliance of fire safety and other safety measures in the Cinema Halls. The State of Punjab has also placed on record the fact that they had issued circulars to all the Deputy Commissioners on 20.07.2022 asking them to comply with all the safety measures and also to take action against those Cinema Halls who have not
)* implemented the fire safety and other safety measures. It is stated in the status report that action against those Cinema Halls who are not complying with the safety measures have been taken and several Cinema Halls have also been directed to be closed down. A District wise report (Annexure R-2) in respect to the action taken by the State of Punjab alongwith the status report has been filed on behalf of the State of Punjab before this Court on 08.10.2022. It has been further pointed out that inspite of and apart from the aforesaid measures, they have also issued fresh circular dated 20.01.2023 asking all the Deputy Commissioners in the State of Punjab to conduct fresh inspection and ensure compliance of all the fire safety measures etc. in all the Cinema Halls.
Similar steps have been taken by the State of Haryana and it has been stated that they have also carried out inspection of all the Cinema Halls in all the 22 districts and some short comings have been found in four districts, namely, Kurukshetra, Rohtak, Sirsa and Yamuna Nagar and pursuant thereto notices have been issued to the owners of those Cinema Halls/Multiplexes and a licence of one of the Cinema Hall in District Sirsa has been suspended. It is stated that in the remaining 18 districts, fresh inspections have been conducted and no violation of any rule/regulation/building laws has been found. The status report/action taken report filed on behalf of the Secretary to Government of Hrayana is taken on record.
Learned Additional Advocate General appearing for the respondent-State of Haryana submits that the State Government shall ensure compliance of all the fire safety measures etc. and undertakes for conducting
)* periodical inspection in all the Cinema Halls/Multiplexes in the State for this purpose.
In view of the status reports filed by the respective States i.e. State of Punjab as well as State of Haryana, nothing further requires to be undertaken by this Court in the instant petitions at present. Accordingly, both the petitions are disposed of taking the status reports as well as the statements made by the learned State counsel of both the States in this regard on record. It is made clear that the petitioner, if so advised, would be at liberty to approach the concerned Deputy Commissioner of the District in case any violation is found in any of the Cinema Halls/Multiplexes. (RAVI SHANKER JHA) CHIEF JUSTICE (ARUN PALLI) JUDGE 13.02.2023 ravinder Whether speaking/reasoned √Yes/No Whether reportable Yes/No√