THE ACT PENDING IN CHANDIGARH & PUNJAB SINCE OVER 75 YEARS
(MOREPIC1)Face2News/Chandigarh
“Purab Premium Appartments Jan-Hit Bachao Committee (Regd.)” Mohali, delegation led by the General Secretary: Sh. Rahul Sharma along with its Counsel Sh. Nikunj Dhawan (Advocate) have given the Representation-Cum-Memorandum to Governor Punjab Sh. Banwari Lal Purohit pertaining to promulgation of law on lifts and escalators in Punjab & Chandigarh as it is pending over 75 years despite Hon’ble Punjab and Haryana High Court direction to Punjab Govt. in year 2022 wide CWP-PIL-64-2022 filed by the “Purab Premium Appartments Jan-Hit Bachao Committee”
The above said PPA Jan-Hit Bachao Committee solicited the benevolent help and intervention of Governor for the above long pending Law on “lifts and escalators” over 75 years in Punjab & its Capital Chandigarh which is very crucial for the safety of approximately 3.5 crores citizens of both Punjab & Chandigarh as high rise buildings only source of access is lifts and escalators. First time in India Similar laws were enacted during British era in year 1939 in Mumbai.
Ironically similar laws are available in adjoining states of Himachal Pradesh & Haryana since 2007 and 2008 respectively and enacted in 2008 and 2009 respectively though these states are hived off/ born out of from parent state Punjab only in 1966. Such is the callous and indifferent attitude of all successive Governments of Punjab for its citizens considering them as guinea-pig, despite two international Air-ports of Chandigarh/Mohali & Amritsar, Premier & prestigious healthcare tertiary institute like PGIMER, GMCH-32, CMC, DMC Ludhiana, Govt. medical colleges like Faridkot, Amritsar, Patiala so making patients and their patients more vulnerable, due to Govt. apathy.
Even Chandigarh & Punjab state all Govt. buildings, judicial complexes have same challenges besides urban populations of Chandigarh, districts Mohali, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Bathinda etc. are subject to more vulnerability due to high rise residential & commercial buildings which is evident from fatal accidents happened in Chandigarh and Mohali district in last 06-07 months only where two young casualties were reported in print media including Hotel Hyatt, Chandigarh fatal incident
Moreover there is no Govt. agency or any other body available in India Punjab & Chandigarh are no exception to similar fatal episodes (Annexed as annexure No.02 to 04) as approx. 1.00-1.20 crores Punjab & Chandigarh citizens are using lifts and each person in urban areas use lifts, escalators on an average 4-5 times a day as per global statistical data while it could be higher in India.
There is estimation that over 100-120 lakhs people daily use the lifts and escalators & moving walks in various housing societies, shopping malls, Govt. offices besides Hospitals & Airports etc. This puts safety of over crores of our citizens at stake – including the most vulnerable sections like Children, Women, elderly & Infirm/sick; in absence of any ACT to regulate the installation & safe operation of these devices.
In a brief history, though the act on Lifts & Escalators was promulgated way back during British era in 1939 in Mumbai, in absence of clear cut guidelines on implementation & control mechanism in Punjab & Chandigarh it lacks teeth in enforcing.
As no suo-motto cognisance was taken by Hon’ble Punjab & Haryana high court so Petitioners’ Sh. Gobind Ram Seth & Sh. Rahul Sharma (President & General Secretary respectively: PURAB PREMIUM APPARTMENTS JAN-HIT BACHAO COMMITTEE (Regd.) Mohali) through its counsel Mr. Nikunj Dhawan (Advocate) filed the PIL on July 08, 2022 (CWP-PIL, No. 64, 2022, Annexed as annexure No.05) which was listed on July 12, 2022 where Asst.(SUBHEAD)
Advocate General (Punjab) Mr. Avinit Avasthi submits that authorities will immediately consider the various representations of Petitioners’, pending as long as Jan.13, 2021, to make the law on lifts & Escalators, in the Hon’ble court of Hon’ble Chief Justice Sh. Ravi Shanker Jha and Justice Arun Palli. Despite this assurance, two Punjab Vidhan-Sabha sessions were over from date of decision 12.07.2022 of above said CWP-PIL (64/2022) but law of lifts & escalators is not even tabled in Vidhan-Sabha yet despite few fatal accidents in Chandigarh and its adjoining town like Derabassi (District: Mohali; Punjab) had occurred in which young man of 22-24 years were died respectively which is self-explanatory and strong evidence of Punjab Govt. callous attitude & apathy for its citizens. This even amounts to contempt of Hon’ble Punjab & Haryana high Court too.
Though its first step to ensure the safety of common public using lifts & escalators on daily basis thru strong law and its impeccable enactment but still issue of making strong Law and Govt. body to maintain data & statistics of Lifts & Escalators accidents is yet unattended & untouched since independence which is evident as only 11 states/ UT have Laws on Lifts, Escalators & Sky walk (Annexure 06) which is state subject including state Govt. and Union of India both. This has been communicated to state Chief Secretaries by Union Consumer affairs Secretary by Rohit Kumar Singh recently in Jan. 2023.
Hence after going thru the memorandum details Hon’ble Governor Punjab Sh. Banwari Lal Purohit assured the delegation for positive intervention for making law on lifts and escalators and its speedier enactment to ensure the safety of life of Punjab & Chandigarh citizens which is only hope & solace citizens of Chandigarh & Punjab is having at the moment or prior to LAW is tabled in Punjab Assembly which has zero burden on state ex-chequer.