Continuing the crackdown on pubs, bars and restaurants in high-rises, officials of the Department of Fire and Emergency Services on Sunday served notice to 22 establishments in various parts of the city for allegedly not complying with fire safety norms. Though establishments in Indiranagar and Koramangala were the focus of fire audits in the last few days, officials covered pubs and restaurants in high-rises in J.P. Nagar, Jayanagar 4th Block and Bannerghatta Road as well on New Year’s Eve.
The highest number of establishments to be served notice by the officials for functioning without a no-objection certificate from the department are in Indiranagar. Notices were served to nine establishments on Sunday, taking the total number of notices served in the locality alone to 15.
Department officials on Saturday inspected close to 40 establishments and served notices to 12. All the establishments have been given 15 days to comply with the norms or face closure.
“The audit will continue in the coming days and establishments in buildings taller than 15 meters that are violating fire safety norms will be served notice. It is a continuing process. We have to inspect buildings against multiple norms, it takes time,” said Soumendu Mukherjee, IGP and Additional Director, Fire and Emergency Services.
N.R. Markandeya, Deputy Director (Fire Prevention), Fire and Emergency Services, however, clarified that the audit had been going on for six months and was not not taken up after the Mumbai fire tragedy. “We have been carrying out inspections of high-raises for six months now and will continue it in other locations in the city. Right now, the focus is on establishments in high-raises where there is a large assembly of people,” he said.
Meanwhile, it was business as usual on the New Year’s Eve for pubs and restaurants that are in the dock for not complying with fire safety norms. “We have been given 15 days time,” maintained a staff member of one such pub in Indiranagar.
