Fire dept toothless against violating bldgs
Licencing Body Not Sealing Structures, Say Activists
Yogesh.Kabirdoss@timesgroup.com
Chennai:26.02.2019
Delhi Fire Services has cancelled licenses of 105 hotels in the national capital in the aftermath of a fire accident in a hotel that claimed 17 lives. Their counterparts in Chennai, meanwhile, remain toothless, failing to act against buildings compromising on fire safety. On last official count, 2,684 commercial buildings in Chennai and its suburbs are functioning without fire safety — or without the mandatory ‘no objection cerificate (NOC)’and fire licence from the fire and rescue services. At least 10 hotels figure in the list of unsafe structures in the city. While Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services says it doesn’t have powers, activists hold the licensing authority guilty of not locking and sealing the buildings.
Two district fire officers in the city told TOI that locking and sealing were beyond their powers. “The local bodies should be doing it. We can only update the Greater Chennai Corporation about buildings operating without fire safety norms,” said a district fire officer. He could not say how many buildings did not have the mandatory papers showing fire safety.
The fire service, headed by a director in the rank of DGP, has a strength of 7,058 personnel. It has 315 services stations across the state. Of these, 40 fire and rescue stations are in Chennai and 15% of the personnel are based in the city. In 2018-2019, the state government allocated ₹347.59 crore to the fire services.
Secretary of T Nagar Residents Welfare Association B Kannan said fire and rescue services should be act against violating buildings. “While several buildings function without certificates, some get the paperwork done without the mandatory inspection by the department. The licensing authority is responsible to lock and seal the buildings when they are violating the norms,” he said.
Fire services officials denied the charges. “Necessary inspections are being done before issuing NOC and fire license. But we are shortstaffed and we cannot divert our manpower engaged to attend emergencies at fire stations for other purposes,” said an official.
Director of Fire and Rescue Services K P Maghendhran did not respond to calls and messages.
The local bodies should be doing it (locking and sealing the buildings). We can only update the corporation about buildings operating without safety norms
district fire officer
Licencing Body Not Sealing Structures, Say Activists
Yogesh.Kabirdoss@timesgroup.com
Chennai:26.02.2019
Delhi Fire Services has cancelled licenses of 105 hotels in the national capital in the aftermath of a fire accident in a hotel that claimed 17 lives. Their counterparts in Chennai, meanwhile, remain toothless, failing to act against buildings compromising on fire safety. On last official count, 2,684 commercial buildings in Chennai and its suburbs are functioning without fire safety — or without the mandatory ‘no objection cerificate (NOC)’and fire licence from the fire and rescue services. At least 10 hotels figure in the list of unsafe structures in the city. While Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services says it doesn’t have powers, activists hold the licensing authority guilty of not locking and sealing the buildings.
Two district fire officers in the city told TOI that locking and sealing were beyond their powers. “The local bodies should be doing it. We can only update the Greater Chennai Corporation about buildings operating without fire safety norms,” said a district fire officer. He could not say how many buildings did not have the mandatory papers showing fire safety.
The fire service, headed by a director in the rank of DGP, has a strength of 7,058 personnel. It has 315 services stations across the state. Of these, 40 fire and rescue stations are in Chennai and 15% of the personnel are based in the city. In 2018-2019, the state government allocated ₹347.59 crore to the fire services.
Secretary of T Nagar Residents Welfare Association B Kannan said fire and rescue services should be act against violating buildings. “While several buildings function without certificates, some get the paperwork done without the mandatory inspection by the department. The licensing authority is responsible to lock and seal the buildings when they are violating the norms,” he said.
Fire services officials denied the charges. “Necessary inspections are being done before issuing NOC and fire license. But we are shortstaffed and we cannot divert our manpower engaged to attend emergencies at fire stations for other purposes,” said an official.
Director of Fire and Rescue Services K P Maghendhran did not respond to calls and messages.
The local bodies should be doing it (locking and sealing the buildings). We can only update the corporation about buildings operating without safety norms
district fire officer
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