Factory blaze: Batra Breweries ignored Chandigarh Fire Dept notice

Chandigarh, October 31

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The Municipal Corporation’s Fire and Emergency Services Department continues to be a toothless tiger as its notices directing owners to install fire safety equipment on their premises seem to have had a little impact.

Revise bylaws, give more powers: Officials

Fire officials say current bylaws do not give them enough powers to act against offenders. They say bylaws need to be revised, giving them enough teeth. The MC is soon going to work on amending its bylaws, say sources

Without procuring the fire no objection certificate (NOC), Batra Breweries and Distilleries Pvt Ltd in Industrial Area, Phase I, where a huge fire broke out on October 27, continued with its operations, not caring two hoots about the notice served on it by the MC last year.

The notice was served after an inspection was carried out at the firm in September last year, asking it to set up firefighting equipment within 30 days.

But the firm continued to operate without complying with the orders, before the tragedy finally struck. The fire left two women unconscious and one person injured, apart from causing a huge monetary loss and puting a strain on government resources during rescue operations.

Similarly, over two years after the fire safety certificate was made mandatory for paying guest (PG) accommodations following the death of three girl students in a fire mishap, only around 70 came forward to procure the fire NOC.

Such notices have been served on various government and private organisations in the past, but to no avail. That’s why over 20,000 commercial establishments exist in the city, but less than 1,000 owners have procured NOCs.

Fire officials blame this on the current bylaws, saying they have no powers to act against offenders. They feel bylaws need to be revised, giving them enough teeth to act against those who fail to install fire safety equipment despite notices.

Sources say the civic body is soon going to work on amending its bylaws.