engaluru
- 13,214 buildings lack fire safety
Over 13,000 of these are buildings in Bengaluru
have complied with the safety norms set by The Department of Fire and Emergency
Services in Karnataka and the apartment owners association are least bothered
to ensure the safety of its members and the Department, during the course of
its annual audit has discovered this non-compliance and has been intimated to
the Government for further action.
The NOC issued by the Fire and Emergency
Department is NOT for the Government nor for the department welfare and it is
for the safety and security of the subjects residing in the multistoried
apartments, but the associations does not seem to be bothered about the safety
of its subjects.
The directorate may request the civic utility providers to cut electricity and water supply if they do not comply with the mandatory guidelines within 90 days.
All high-rise building plans have to be approved by the Department and About 2,205 buildings had obtained initial clearances but failed to adopt our recommendations and the violators will be served with notices to adopt safety measures as per prescribed guidelines.
"Following directions of the High Court of Karnataka pertaining to implementation of these guidelines, the department took up spot verification of buildings across the state. Several district officers were summoned to Bengaluru on deputation to assess the umpteen high-rise buildings that have mushroomed here in the past few years. Our officers visited premises of almost every building to verify their fire safety measures. It was only last week that we finished with the first phase of the audit and in the coming few days, we will take up classification of these buildings into residential, commercial and public buildings," explained yet another senior officer of the directorate.
Major violations that were detected include lack of access roads as wide as 12 mt, lack of driveways that can accommodate fire fighting vehicles, not having water sumps and overhead tanks for supply of water, non-existent water sprinkler system, and unscientific fire exit staircase.
The directorate may request the civic utility providers to cut electricity and water supply if they do not comply with the mandatory guidelines within 90 days.
All high-rise building plans have to be approved by the Department and About 2,205 buildings had obtained initial clearances but failed to adopt our recommendations and the violators will be served with notices to adopt safety measures as per prescribed guidelines.
"Following directions of the High Court of Karnataka pertaining to implementation of these guidelines, the department took up spot verification of buildings across the state. Several district officers were summoned to Bengaluru on deputation to assess the umpteen high-rise buildings that have mushroomed here in the past few years. Our officers visited premises of almost every building to verify their fire safety measures. It was only last week that we finished with the first phase of the audit and in the coming few days, we will take up classification of these buildings into residential, commercial and public buildings," explained yet another senior officer of the directorate.
Major violations that were detected include lack of access roads as wide as 12 mt, lack of driveways that can accommodate fire fighting vehicles, not having water sumps and overhead tanks for supply of water, non-existent water sprinkler system, and unscientific fire exit staircase.
