Nagpur: NMC takes action against 1.3K buildings

The fire audit of government and semi-government offices, hotels, hospitals, schools and colleges, commercial complexes, industrial complexes, industrial units and residential buildings above 15 metres within municipal limits is mandatory.

The municipal corporation has snapped the water and electricity supply of 1,386 buildings that have not done fire audits and submitted the report of measures taken to the fire department. These include 89 hospitals and 35 hotels PIRs have been lodged against 141 buildings.

The fire brigade department of Nagpur Municipal Corporation has given No Objection Certificates to 5,595 buildings within municipal limits. But still, 1,386 buildings have not obtained no objection certificates.

Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006 and Rule 2009 were implemented in Maharashtra from December 6, 2008.

As per section 3(3), fire audit 89 hospitals, 35 hotels among the buildings against Which action was taken is mandatory for government and semi-government offices, hotels, hospitals, schools and colleges, commercial complexes, industrial complexes, industrial units and residential buildings above 15 metres.

This certificate has to be submitted to the chief fire officer twice in January and July months. No objection certificate of the fire brigade department is mandatory while constructing buildings. This department had given no objection certificates to 5,515 buildings. Out of these, the construction of 772 buildings is going on. 903 buildings submitted final no-objection certificates. 1,386 buildings have not obtained no objection certificates. The water and electricity supply to these buildings have been terminated.

The occupants of 760 buildings have been asked to vacate. The fire brigade department has asked police to take action on 111 buildings. FIRs have been lodged against 141 buildings. 151 buildings have fulfilled fire prevention and life safety measures.

Imprisonment along with penalty

Penal action is taken if a no-objection certificate is not submitted to the fire brigade department. Even if fulfilment is not done, cognizable and non-cognizable offences can be lodged as per provisions in the law. There is a provision of imprisonment of 6 months to three years and a penalty of Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 50,000.

What is fire safety audit?

A fire safety audit is an ex- amination of the premises and relevant documents to ascertain how the premises are being managed with regards to fire safety. The building authorities need to demonstrate to the concerned officers that the building meets the requirements as specified by the administration.

Summer season is about to begin and considering the fact that most incidents of fire take place during this season, it is essential that big buildings get their fire safety audit done.

The defaulters

• Residential buildings - 124
•  Educational institutions  - 288
• Hospitals - 89
• Assembly building - 262
• Commercial building - 11
• Mercantile building  - 219
• Storage building - 33
• Hazardous building  - 52
• Mixed-use building - 130
• Residential hotel - 35