The State Government talks tough against the violators of fires safety norms, but still lacks the Fire Safety Act to act. Not only the private buildings, but also many Government establishments can be found here flouting the fire safety rules.
Notices are issued by the department concerned against those who are found not fulfilling the fire safety norms, but legal action can’t be taken against the violators of fire safety norms in the absence of the law, said the officials concerned.
Since Uttarakhand doesn’t have a Fire Safety Act, therefore, we can’t take any legal action against those who are found violating the fire safety norms, SK Sharma, Chief Fire Safety Officer, Naintial, while talking to The Pioneer.
Hopefully, the State Government would bring the Fire Safety Act soon, Sharma expressed hope. The interesting fact is that the Government establishments are not lagging behind here in ignoring the laid down fire safety norms here in Haldwani itself.
Notices have been issued to over two dozen establishments including the Government offices against poor fire safety measures, informed SS Sharma, Fire Safety Officer (FSO), Haldwani fire department while talking to The Pioneer.
The matter of concern is that initially the owners of the buildings or the officials concerned take some measures to fulfill the laid down fire safety norms. But there is no regular follow up later on to maintain the fire safety norms in this regard, Sharma further said.
Suppose there are some fire extinguishers installed in a building. Sometime the extinguishers are either dysfunctional and sometimes people concerned don’t know how to operate the said fire equipment,
added the officials concerned. Therefore a serious effort is needed to sensitise the people about how dangerous could the negligence towards fire safety be on our part in future, maintained the officials concerned.
Some of the Government offices which have been served notices in the region include the Van Vikas Nigam, lalkuwan, pine resin depot at Hanumangarhi (Kathgodam), pine resin depot at Golapar (Haldwani) to name a few.
Besides, notices have also been issued to some public schools including the Nirmala Convent School, St. Paul School, the Aryaman Birla School, the Beersheba public school, further said FSO Haldwani. At the same, following poor safety norms notices have also been issued to some Government and private hospitals and community halls, he added.
Two major incidents of fire in which the British period Nainital collectorate was gutted by a devastating fire in about two years back and in second case some
portion of the Raj Bhawan Nainital was damaged by a blaze in April this year, have occurred in recent years. Though no casualty was reported in these fire incidents, in the absence of the Fire Safety Act, violations of fire safety rules continue.