Establishments found operating without mandatory fire-safety compliance and government approvals will now have to pay an annual fire and emergency services fee to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), with the amount linked to the built-up area of the premises.
The decision comes as the civic body intensifies its fire-safety inspections across the city, with officials finding widespread violations at coaching classes, paying guest (PG) facilities, educational buildings, warehouses, scrap shops, hospitals and other establishments.
The PMC has inspected 447 establishments in the past week as part of the ongoing drive following the directions from municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram.
Ganesh Sonune, chief fire officer, PMC, said the civic body has decided to levy fines against establishments sealed during the drive and would take strict action against establishments that failed to comply with fire-safety requirements.
“As per the municipal commissioner’s directions, strict action will be taken against establishments that fail to comply with fire-safety regulations, and such establishments will be closed,” he said.
The civic administration has directed the fire brigade to recover the prescribed fee from establishments found to be operating without the required approvals and fire-safety measures, according to an order issued by the department on Thursday.
{{/usCountry}}The civic administration has directed the fire brigade to recover the prescribed fee from establishments found to be operating without the required approvals and fire-safety measures, according to an order issued by the department on Thursday.
{{/usCountry}}The move follows amendments to the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006. The charges have been linked to the Annual Statement of Rates (ASR), with the current ASR mentioned in the PMC order at ₹27,951 per square metre.
For buildings up to 45 metres in height, the annual fee will be 0.25% of the ASR, or ₹69.87 per sq m, for residential buildings; 0.50%, or ₹139.76 per sq m, for society buildings; and 0.75%, or ₹209.63 per sq m, for commercial and industrial buildings.
For buildings above 45 metres, the annual rates will be 0.75% of the ASR ( ₹209.63 per sq m) for residential buildings, 1% ( ₹279.51 per sq m) for society buildings, 1.25% ( ₹349.39 per sq m) for commercial buildings and 1% ( ₹279.51 per sq m) for industrial buildings.
The fee will be calculated on the area being used by establishments inspected by the fire brigade, including coaching classes, PG facilities, educational buildings, warehouses, scrap shops, hospitals, petrol pumps and other establishments.
The civic body said establishments for which a final fire department no-objection certificate (NOC) is mandatory will also have to pay the annual fee one year after the date of the final NOC. Such establishments will have to renew their final NOC and submit Form B in January and July, certifying that their installed fire-safety systems are functional and in proper condition.
The PMC said the inspection drive would continue and establishments found operating without the required approvals or safety measures would be liable for action under the applicable provisions.