Around 52 schools in Mira, Bhayandar to go without water from February

Despite repeated warnings, the schools have not submitted mandatory fire safety certificates

A Total of 52 private schools in Mira and Bhayandar may not get water supply starting February for not providing adequate fire safety measures in the schools.

Since 2014, around 75 private schools have received warnings that water supply would be cut off if they did not submit Form A and B certificates for the availability and maintenance of fire saf­ety. Of the 75, only 23 schools have submitted these till December 2016.

“This will be the last warning. We will write to the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation to cut the school’s water and electricity supply. In 15 days, I will write to the Zilla Parishad to not give them any grants,” said Prakash Borade, acting chief fire officer of Mira Bhayandar Fire Brigade.

As per the Government resolution 2013, municipal fire stations were to keep a check on schools’ fire safety and a form had to
be submitted by the school every year. Schools with a ground plus one floor should have fire extinguishers on each floor and schools with more floors should have fire extinguishers, overhead water tank, landing valves, a hose reel drum, among others.

A private school has to hire a fire protection engineer who will make sure all the criteria of the GR on the form A certificate - that a school possesses all amenities for fire safety, and Form B - that a school has working fire control equipment - are met. The schools claim they conduct periodical checks on the premises. A spokesperson for RBK School said, “We have complied with the entire fire protection requirement as per the fire department.”

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