Chandigarh traders up the ante against stringent Haryana Fire Safety Act

Traders and industrialists have upped the ante against the Municipal Corporation’s proposal for adoption of the Haryana Fire and Emergency Services Act, 2022, in Chandigarh.

While MC officials claim that the new Act will provide effective fire safety measures, the traders and industrialists say the Act doesn’t align with the character of Chandigarh and also has stringent provisions, including jail term and heavy penalty. They fear this will lead to more corruption also.

The traders said the character of the buildings in Chandigarh is different from those in other parts of the country.

Avi Bhasin, president of the Laghu Udhyog Bharti, said they strongly objected to the adoption of the Haryana Fire and Emergency Services Act, 2022, in Chandigarh, as it did not align with the specific needs of the city’s industrial area.

Former nominated councillor and chairman of the Fire and Emergency Services Committee MPS Chawla said the new provisions couldn’t be implemented for the old buildings.

The Act lacks provisions for old industrial buildings, leaving room for discretion and possible misuse by fire officers. Installing water pumps increases electricity costs, which small industries cannot afford, he said, adding that generators require regular maintenance.

The traders and industrialist also said linking fire NOC to property tax was unreasonable given changes effected since its introduction in 2004. Annual certifications are unnecessary and unclear regarding vendor reliability. Excessive powers in the hands of Fire Officers, including provision for imprisonment, could lead to harassment.

Industries without hazardous materials should have simpler clearance requirements, they claimed.

Sanjiv Chadha, president of the Chandigarh Beopar Mandal (CBM), said the Act relied on the National Building Code (NBC), which lacked legal binding, complicating compliance unnecessarily.

On the one hand, the Prime Minister is stressing the need for ease of doing business, but, on the other, stringent laws are being implemented by the MC to harass the traders, he said.

Charanjib Singh, CBM chairman, said lowering the height of buildings for the implementation of the Act is also not justified. It was not possible to fulfil all conditions for small shops. The Act didn’t consider Chandigarh’s unique industrial landscape, said Chawla.

The traders and industrialists have requested the MC to review the proposal and ensure practicality and fairness for the stakeholders.

The agenda for the adoption of the new Act was tabled in the last meeting of the MC general house. It was decided that a committee be formed to look into all the aspects before implementing the new Act.