Fire safety: Mohali MC sets deadline for factories

The Mohali MC has asked owners of around 160 factories at the Industrial Area, Phase 8B, to get fire-safety NOCs by November 30 or face sealing of their premises

After issuing notices to around 160 units for fire-safety violations at the Industrial Area, Phase 8B, the Mohali municipal corporation has now set the deadline of November 30 for them to comply with the directions or face sealing of the premises.

The Mohali MC had issued to around 160 units for fire-safety violations at the Industrial Area, Phase 8B.

“In September, around 160 notices were issued to industrial unit owners to get no-objection certificates from the fire department. Now we have set a deadline of November 30. We will be sealing the units that fail to comply with safety norms,” said MC commissioner Kamal Kumar Garg.

Even in February this year, 600 notices were slapped on violators across the district, with an ultimatum of 15 days. However, eight months later, no violating structure has been sealed. In fact, the corporation has been following this exercise for the past three years, but has not penalised a single violator yet.

Through a survey last year, the fire department had identified various properties, including high-rise buildings and commercial establishments that did not comply with fire-safety norms. The violations included the presence of a single entry and exit point, which could be dangerous in case of an emergency.

Among other issues, fire extinguishers were missing on many floors and those available did not have an ISI mark. Hose reels, smoke detection alarm system, and illuminated exit signs were also found missing in most buildings. Meanwhile, most showrooms in markets had loose electricity wiring.

At several industrial units and housing societies, there was no underground static water storage tank of 75,000-litre capacity with pump, as required under fire-safety rules. Terrace water tanks with at least 10,000-litre capacity were also found missing. The absence of a fire control room and emergency lifts with firemen switch was among other violations.

A factory manufacturing cardboard boxes was gutted at the Industrial Area, Phase 8B, in March 2019, leading to the destruction of machinery and products worth crores. In March last year, a fire broke out at a multi-brand retail store in Phase 5, turning readymade clothes worth lakhs into ashes.