Firework factory to be relocated away from population, SHC told

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has disposed of a petition seeking shifting of an illegal firework warehouse from a residential area of the city after assurance from the South deputy commissioner that the factory would be relocated to some other place away from the population.

The assurance came on a petition seeking the shifting of illegal firework warehouses from residential areas of the city.

Six persons died and 27 others were injured on August 21 when firecrackers stored in the illegal warehouse on MA Jinnah Road caught fire, causing a loud explosion that jolted the area. The Preedy police registered an FIR on behalf of the state against the owners.

In the petition, a family member of a person who died in the explosion requested the high court to constitute a fact-finding judicial commission to fix responsibility for how a fireworks godown was allowed to operate in a residential area.

A counsel for the petitioner, Usman Farooq, submitted that the petitioner’s son died on August 21 while another was injured in the explosion. He said that despite complaints about the presence of inflammable gas and explosives in the residential area, no action was taken to remove them.

He submitted that the lives of the residents of the area and shopkeepers in the building were still in danger and no precautionary measures had been taken to ensure safety and security of the residents.

He said relocation of fireworks and explosives industries from urban centres was imperative and public safety required that such hazardous activities be confined to designated industrial zones under strict monitoring.

He said mere demolition of the illegal factory structure was insufficient unless accompanied by safe disposal of the remaining explosive material, pointing out that two containers filled with dangerous substances and one open container still remained in Depot Lines, which urgently required to be shifted away from urban areas.

The district administration informed the court that the licence issued to a man, Hanif, who was running the fireworks factory on Depot Lines in the Jacob Line area had been cancelled and the premises sealed.

The authorities informed the high court that entire explosive substance had been removed by the police and disposed of.

The SHC was informed that the factory would be relocated to some other safe place away from the population and re-issuance of licence would only be considered on merits and in accordance with the law.

A division bench of the high court headed by Justice Mohammad Iqbal Kalhoro after taking the statement on record observed that the petitioner’s counsel had expressed satisfaction at the statement of the administration, and disposed of the petition.