31/12/2017
PUNE: The fire safety of structures in the city has gained center-stage after a fire in Kamala Mills of Lower Parel in Mumbai claimed 14 lives and left a score of people injured. The city
has witnessed over 2,000 fire outbreak incidents till November 2017 and records
an average of 2,500 fire incidents annually, according to fire brigade
officials.
The fire department of Pune had sent notices to various
organisations asking them to update the fire security equipment in their
buildings. Some of the structures which came under the fire department’s
scanner were five-star and four-star hotels with restaurants and bars in their
premise.
“The fire brigade receives complaints against such
organisations and we act upon them. We send them a three-hour intimation before
visiting the site and taking stock of their fire safety infrastructure. We
prepare a report, show it to our superiors and then send a notice,” said
Gangad, assistant fire officer, Pune.
The safety measures need to be in line with the Maharashtra
Fire Safety Act, according to Prashant Ranpise, chief fire officer (CFO), Pune.
They have issued notice to 25 organisations so far, according to to CFO
Ranpise. While some organisations fail to keep space around the structure for
fire vehicles in case of an emergency, some misuse or fail to maintain the
refuge area which exists in order to provide a space away from a possible
incident of fire.
When buildings are provided with permissions from the local
authorities, a refuge area at and above a certain height is necessary. Ranpise
had claimed that the organisations who were served with notices generally
responded to the requirements immediately.
The fire department is called in for various other purposes
including pulling bodies out of mangled structures. In the past week alone,
four incidents of fire brigade officials pulling people out of mangled vehicles
and manholes was recorded in Pune.
No NOCs
sought by pubs in Pune
In wake of the recent incident of a massive fire outbreak that
led to the loss of life of at least 14 people in Mumbai’s Kamla Mills compound,
the safety concerns of pubs in Pune have come into focus. According to fire
department officials, pubs in Pune do not have a no-objection certificate (NOC)
from the fire services department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
Speaking to the pune-news.com,
chief fire officer, Pune Municipal Corporation, Prashant Ranpise, said that
pubs in Pune have not been issued NOCs from fire department. As far as I
remember, not a single pub has sought the clearance certificate from our
department. We regularly publish advertisements in local newspapers regarding
NOCs by all commercial establishments.”
Ranpise, further said that his department has given a
no-objection certificate to all hoteliers in city. “The certificate mentioning
that the kitchen area and exhausts are safe and that safety measures are in
place, has been issued to hotels in the city.”
As per the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety
Measures Act, 2006, a builder must procure a fire compliance certificate for
any building that is taller than 15 metres. According to advocate Anil Nene, it
is mandatory for commercial establishments to install fire safety measures as
these places attract a large number of people. “Wherever a large number of
people gather, fire safety measures are necessary and so is the NOC from the
fire department,” said Nene.
When pune-news.com asked
for a response, Ganesh Shetty, president of hotel and bar association of Pune,
said, “All bars and pub owners require a no-objection certificate from the fire
department of the municipal corporation.Without that certificate, the license
to operate hotel cannot be renewed.” Shetty added there are 30 pubs operating
in city and for fire safety purposes, all of them need to ensure that NOCs are
issued after a fire safety audit, which has to be conducted on a regular
interval.”
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