Delhi blaze sparks concern in Smart City Faridabad

Bijendra Ahlawat

Tribune News Service

Faridabad, December 9

The blaze at New Delhi’s Anaj Mandi on Sunday morning that left 43 persons dead has served as a wake-up call for the local administration in view of the “poor” firefighting infrastructure. This is not all. Several industrial and commercial units are operating without the no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Fire Department.

“The number of industrial units operating illegally in residential and non-conforming zones could be more than 10,000. Not a single unit possesses an NOC,” sources in the Industries Department say.

Hundreds of manufacturing units are functioning from narrow lanes of Sanjay Nagar, Dabua Colony, Jawahar Colony, Rahul Colony, Sarurpur village, Nangla Enclave, Parvatiya Colony, Sarai Khawaja and Palla in the Old Faridabad zone.

The Ballabgarh zone, too, has a high concentration of commercial units.

“There are about 2,500 industrial units in non-conforming (unauthorised) areas. For long, unit owners have been demanding regularising of the areas. Once the areas are regularised, unit owners can apply for the NOC,” says Col S Kapoor (retd), Director, Faridabad Industries’ Association.

Infrastructure is another concern. The department has only eight fire tenders against the requirement of 35. It faces staff crunch as well. Against the sanctioned posts of 168, the department is managing affairs with just 42 employees. The last recruitment was done in 2010.

The department doesn’t have a hydraulic platform for high-rise buildings. Help is sought from private agencies or neighbouring districts in case of a major fire.

The building of a fire station in the NIT area is in a dilapidated condition.

RS Dahiya, senior fire officer posted here, said: “We have apprised the higher-ups of the shortage of staff and fire tenders.”

35 Fire tenders required

8 Fire tenders with dept

168 Sanctioned posts of employees in Fire Dept

42 Managing the state of affairs