Live
- WHOIS database: A new lead generation buzz for 2025
- Retail investors lost Rs 1.8 lakh cr in FY22-FY24 in equity futures and options: SEBI study
- NCLT issues notice to SpiceJet over another unpaid operational debt
- Sub-jr Men's Hockey National: T.N, Punjab, Manipur, Arunachal win on opening day
- Gujarat govt approves Rs 255 crore for road projects in Surat, Rajkot & Gandhinagar civic bodies
- Modi offers 'One Earth' India's expertise in eradicating poverty, bridging digital divide
- Pakistan appoints Lt Gen Asim Malik as new ISI chief
- War of words between ruling, oppn parties over Bengal flood situation continues
- Haaland throwing the ball at Gabriel’s head was a ‘coward’s move’: Arsenal legend Ian Wright
- Labour participation rate hits record 60.1 pc in India’s urban areas, employment rises
Officials cock a snook at fire safety
Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services Department and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) have turned a blind eye towards the fire safety in the city.
Hyderabad: Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services Department and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) have turned a blind eye towards the fire safety in the city.
According to the GHMC fire official, about 90 per cent of the buildings under their jurisdictions do not have fire NOCs (No Objection Certificates). More than 16,000 fire accidents have been reported in the State since 2016.
The few buildings that received NOC are also violating the laws by constructing an extra floor or turning off the water pumps. “Majority of the buildings that are below 15 metres height are supposed to take NOCs. But they have not taken any fire safety measures. Especially in schools, where safety should be paramount, there is complete violation of the rules,” said GHMC official of the Fire Department.
When asked about the action taken against the violators, he said that they hardly receive any complaints about lack of fire safety and the ones that are received are not taken care of by the Fire Service Department.
About 730 fire accident cases were registered in Hyderabad from April to October last year. Around 65 cases were filed against defaulters during random raids conducted by the Disaster Response and Fire Services Department from May 2016.
V Papaiah, Regional Fire officer (Central region) said, “We do receive many complaints from civilians about the lack of fire safety in the buildings and we immediately do a follow-up on the complaints.” He further said that they are only obligated to file a case in the court and the rest will be taken care by the judicial system.
By Tera Sneha Reddy
