20 October,2016 03:35 PM IST | | A Correspondent
RTI from fire brigade shows over 50% of 8,000 buildings surveyed from January 2010 to June this year lack fire safety measures; 14 have been issued prosecution notices
Fire at Maker Towers
Even as Maker Towers recovers from the devastating blaze it experienced on Tuesday, despite being equipped with fire safety gear, there are over 4,500 housing societies in Mumbai that are openly flouting fire safety norms, according to data from the fire brigade. The fire brigade has even issued prosecution notices to 14 of them, but the move has not yielded any positive outcome thus far.
Prosecution notices served
According to the data, 8,840 buildings in the city were inspected by the department from January 2010 till June this year. Post inspection, it was observed that over 50 per cent of these buildings - 4,592 housing societies - were flouting fire safety norms. In fact, the department even issued prosecution notices to 14 buildings and even asked the BMC and the power supplying companies to disconnect their water and electricity respectively. But, the move so far has not yielded any positive results for the department.
Jeetendra Ghadge, RTI activist, who has sought the figures from the department said, "Lack of coordination between the fire brigade authorities and other agencies like BMC and power supplying company results in a lacklustre approach towards the issue. Going by the past records, societies have started taking a casual approach toward the issue and are blatantly flouting fire safety norms."
According to the Maharashtra Fire Prevention & Life Safety Measures Act, 2006 it is mandatory for housing societies to conduct fire safety audit every six months and submit the audited report to the fire department.
The act was introduced as it was observed that many of the housing societies lack basic fire-fighting equipment or if they have the kit, they are not functional.
mid-day reported yesterday how Maker Towers skipped the mandated biannual fire audit for two years.
Issue unattended
A senior fire brigade official said, "If we come across any discrepancies in the fire audit, the societies are given 120 days time to rectify the fault. But, many of the societies leave the issue unattended."
Meanwhile chief fire officer P S Rahangdale admitted about the trials taking time but said, "We have started prosecution against 11 buildings and will certainly take the case to logical end." The officials refused to divulge details of the buildings that are facing prosecution, as the case is sub-judice.
