Hyderabad: Fire safety equipment must in commercial establishments

Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation's Enforcement, Vigilance and Disaster Management (EV&DM) wing has made it mandatory to install fire safety equipment for business establishments with an area of 100 sq-metres in Greater Hyderabad to curb the number of fire accidents taking place in the city, and for the safety of traders and their property and goods.

According to officials, as several major fire incidents were witnessed in the city which claimed lives and loss of properties, EV&DM instructed all the business establishments in the city radius to install fire safety equipment.

"Traders are required to obtain a Fire Mitigation and Fire Safety Certificate from the civic body by applying online with the empaneled agencies, and the certificate will be issued online. Those who fail to obtain safety certificates, their trade licences will not be renewed or may be cancelled," said a senior officer.

As a part of the initiative, small shop owners or those shops taken on rent in a plinth area of around 100 sq.m and above must obtain a fire mitigation/safety certificate online to prevent fire accidents.

The officer said that traders should install 6 kg powder and 4.5 kg carbon dioxide fire extinguishers and two smoke detectors per 100 sq.m. For oil storages like petrol bunks, oil shops, 6 kg powder fire extinguishers and 2 foam fire extinguishers of 9 litres per 100 sq-metres area should be installed.

If the plinth area is above 200 sq.m, traders must install two 6 kg powder and two 4.5 kg carbon dioxide fire extinguishers and four smoke detectors per 200 sq.m. For oil storages like petrol bunks, oil shops, etc., they should install two 6 kg powder fire extinguishers and four foam fire extinguishers of 9 litres per 200 sq.m area.

The GHMC officials requested traders and business establishments to obtain fire mitigation/safety certificates online by applying with the empanelled agencies. The civic body has appealed traders in GHMC to cooperate and take advantage of the opportunity provided by the corporation to obtain a self-certification.

Moreover, EV&DM has also decided to seek public participation as a part of its enforcement activity. According to officials, citizens who witnessed the lack of fire safety in commercial buildings and complexes were urged to report the same to the authorities. Complaints and grievances on finding the staircase or fire exits either locked, closed or non-functional in commercial buildings can be made through WhatsApp 9154114998 or toll-free number 1800 599 0099 on all working days from 10 am to 6 pm.

If a complaint is reported through WhatsApp, details of the commercial establishment including all it details has to be sent along with photographs. Citizens can also complain to the EV&DM's Central Enforcement Cell (CEC), which is the official e-challan system of the Directorate that imposes penalties on various offences in GHMC limits. '@CEC_EVDM' is the Twitter ID to report complaints/grievances to this wing.