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10 major markets in Chandigarh sitting on tinderbox; 90% buildings yet to submit fire NOCs
The latest fire tragedy in Delhi killing 43 people has brought back the focus on lack of fire preparedness in a modern city like Chandigarh.
The latest fire tragedy in Delhi killing 43 people has brought back the focus on lack of fire preparedness in a modern city like Chandigarh.
As many as 10 markets in Chandigarh are highly vulnerable and prone to fire incidents due to heavy footfall of people and a lack of firefighting equipments.
Sector 22 Shastri and mobile markets and Sector 19 Sadar Bazar topped the list in lack of fire preparedness as repeated fire inspections revealed that there are no proper water provisions or basic equipments like fire extinguishers to deal with an emergency situation.
Although removal of vendors’ encroachments has given some relief, a proposal of the MC to install common water hydrants and make underground water tanks in such vulnerable markets gathers dust.
Chief fire officer Anil Garg said that presence of illegal vendors in these markets was a major bone of contention in making fire arrangements. Since they have been removed, all necessary arrangements will be made now, he said
However, there are still areas like the furniture market in Sector 54 or Manimajra where the MC has failed to enforce firesafety regulations.
In the last 10 years, nine major fire incidents have happened in furniture markets. Each shop has a huge stock of highly inflammable products used in furniture making. Worse still, a fear of short-circuit looms large due to temporary electricity connections.
Through several inspections in the past, MC’s fire department found glaring anomalies, but could do nothing to correct them. Advocate Ajay Jagga said, “There are several congested markets that are not secure at all. MC must step up its vigil before it is too late.”
SLOW RESPONSE TO FIRE NOCS
It was in 2018 that the MC made fire NOCs compulsory. Though the city has nearly 30,000 commercial buildings that need to follow fire regulations as per the national building code, not more than 2,000 have applied for getting the NOCs so far.
This year, just 400 applications were received.
The main problem in the city markets is that there are no proper exit and entry points. Window panes are grilled and balconies are heavy encroached upon.
A fire official, who wished not to be named, said that after the fire tragedy in Surat coaching centre, there was a lot of strictness within the department and even the UT administration had started raiding different premises.
“But the entire drive fizzled out in a few weeks. Unless the department starts sealing the buildings, people will not move,” he said
When contacted, Chandigarh Beopar Mandal president Anil Vohra said that MC’s fire regulations are so stringent that it can’t be implemented on old buildings. For instance, not every building can have the provision of overhead or underground water heads. “We must get some exemptions,” he said. Former mayor Arun Sood said it was a fact that fire regulations are difficult to implement in old buildings.
