Rooftop bars in Panchkula flout fire safety norms with impunity
Sanjay Bumbroo
Tribune News Service
Panchkula, February 25
The Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) seems to have not learnt any lesson from the fire incident at a PG in Chandigarh in which three girls lost their lives.
Violations galore
The owners have kept cylinders on the rooftops of eateries which can result in heavy casualties in the case of a fire as there are no sources of ventilation at the rooftop bars. Similarly, restaurants have been opened in basements where no other business could be run. As per law, keeping gas cylinders in basements was illegal and the owners of restaurants and bars were also serving liquor to youngsters.
The Fire Department had written to the Estate Officer, HSVP, five times about the bars set up on the rooftops of the showrooms and hotels which do not have any ventilation.
The Fire Department has now written to the Deputy Commissioner, EO, HSVP, and Commissioner Municipal Corporation about the illegal construction on rooftops in various hotels, including The Langring and The Escape, both in Sector 5, The Brew Estate and The Stage, both in Sector 9 and the Cheeky Monkey in Sector 8. The Fire Department said the owners had kept cylinders on the rooftops and there could be heavy casualties as there were no ventilations inside the rooftops bars. Hence, there was a need to remove the illegal constructions.
The restaurants have been opened in Sector 3, 5, 8, 9 and 10 after taking the rooftops on rent for about Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000. Similarly, restaurants have been opened in basements where no other business could be run. As per law, keeping gas cylinders in basements was illegal and the owners of restaurants and bars were serving liquor to the youths in basement by continuously flouting rules.
The illegal constructions on the rooftops of the showrooms has been going on without any check and if there is any fire incident, it would be very difficult for the firemen to enter these bars which don’t have any ventilation.
District Fire Officer Shamsher Malik said notices had been served by the Fire Department to the owners of the illegal bars and restaurants on the rooftops. MP Sharma, SDO, (Survey) HSVP, said notices had been issued to owners of 10 showrooms for illegal construction on rooftops.
