Take action against those responsible for fire accidents: Kishan Reddy

Hyderabad, March 19: Union minister for tourism and culture G. Kishan Reddy on Sunday alleged that the Telangana government is not taking action against owners of buildings whose negligence is leading to a series of fire accidents.

He visited Swapnalok Complex in Secunderabad, where a huge fire on Thursday night claimed six lives.

The minister spoke to officials and enquired about the cause of the fire.

Kishan Reddy, who is a member of Lok Sabha from Secunderabad, told media persons that the state government is regularising unauthorised buildings for revenue. He alleged that the government is encouraging illegal constructions so that it can earn more revenue.

The Union minister termed the fire accident in the building unfortunate. He said that though poor and innocents were losing lives in fire accidents, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and state government were not taking action against those responsible for the accidents.

"Whenever a fire accident takes place, they say we will take action but later forget it," said Kishan Reddy.

He said negligence by the owners of buildings was resulting in tragedies. Many commercial establishments lack fire safety equipment or not complying with fire safety guidelines.

Kishan Reddy asked all enterprises to do regular inspections of fire safety compliances and audits and rectify any defects to avoid accidents.

Six youths including four women were killed and few others injured in a huge fire that broke out at Swapnalok Complex on Thursday night.

This was the second major fire accident in Secunderabad, the twin city of Hyderabad, in less than two months.

Three persons were killed in a huge fire at a multi-storey commercial complex on January 28. The building was completely gutted in the fire and it was later demolished by the authorities as the structure had become weak.