New Delhi, June 9 -- Delhi lieutenant governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Monday suggested utilising former Agniveers - short-term military recruits - to fill operational vacancies in the fire department, officials said after a Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) meeting.

The meeting, chaired by Sandhu and attended by chief minister Rekha Gupta, was convened in light of the Hauz Rani B&B fire that claimed 21 lives. It reviewed ongoing action against illegal buildings and fire safety violations.

During the meeting, Sandhu and Gupta noted that complaints were being received about officials allegedly harassing owners of compliant structures, with directions issued last week being misused to raid premises unconnected to the crackdown o...