The State Government would henceforth carry out fire and life safety audits of all buildings having a height of more than 15 metres on a regular basis.
The Government has taken this decision in view of fire incidents occurring in high-rise buildings, both Government and private ones, more often now. While many precious lives have been lost, properties worth crores of rupees destroyed.
These fire incidents have highlighted the need to take effective fire prevention measures to avoid such hazards in coming days, said a senior officer in the Home Department.
Recently, the Union Director General (DG) Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards (FDCD&HG) Prakash Mishra had written to the State Government asking to undertake Fire and life Safety Audits in the high-rise buildings in the urban areas.
Mishra mentioned that fire incidents are on the rise across the country. During 2015-17, a large number of fire hazards were reported from metropolis and big cities, including capital city of Odisha.
He said the fire incidents have highlighted the need to take effective fire prevention measures for safety of life and properties in urban areas.
Fire and life Safety Audits need to be conducted by a third-party auditor having experience in Fire and life Safety inspections, Mishra suggested and advised the State Government to take up such audits once in two years.
Mishra said that Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is issuing guidelines regularly based on recommendations of the Standing Fire Advisory Council, the apex Central body, on fire related matters.
The National Building Code of India has also codified the measures to reduce the reoccurrence of fire incidents.
Regular inspection and re-inspection of high-rise buildings such as hospitals, hotels and other structures is needed to be done in a time bound manner, he said.
Carrying out regular and periodic fire drills at intervals is essential to ensure preparedness of personnel and testing of equipments, said sources.