Fifteen years after Delhi witnessed one of its worst fire tragedies at Green Park's Uphaar Cinema, families of the victims continue fighting to get justice for their loved ones. On Wednesday, the Association of Victims of the Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) met at the Smriti Upavan memorial and lit 59 lamps in remembrance of those killed in the tragedy.
“We hope the Government will wake up now and take note,” said AVUT president Neelam Krishnamoorthy. “Our highest priority is to work towards legislation for prevention of man-made tragedies such as this,” she said, adding that appropriate judicial mechanisms must be put in place to force offenders to think twice before indulging in acts of omission and commission that can endanger human life.
In July 2009, AVUT presented a petition to the President, United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi and the Minister for Law and Justice, proposing a legislation to prevent man-made tragedies in public places. However AVUT's members said that nothing concrete has happened in the three years that have passed.
In the light of recent tragedies such as the fire at AMRI Hospital in Kolkata where 90 precious human lives were lost, AVUT has appealed for stringent laws to deter and avert such man-made tragedies.
