After bringing some order into its functioning and making services online, the Telangana Fire & Emergency Services Department has turned its attention towards making Government buildings fire compliant as is mandatory under the Fire Services Act.
Last month, the department has alerted the higher ups in the Government about the dire need to ensure that Government buildings too adhere to the fire safety rules and make them ready to tackle any kind of fire by installing all the necessary equipment and make structural changes, if needed.
In an official communication, DG Rajiv Ratan informed that several Government high rise buildings coming under the Section 13 of the Fire Act (see box) have not taken provisional and occupancy no objection certificate from the Fire Department and hence “it was a violation of the Act.” He insisted all Government buildings need to comply with the provisions of fire safety measures as per the Act and also as per the National Building Code (NBC) 2005 to obtain NOC from the fire department. The Government also immediately saw merit in the case and accepted the department’s call. The Home department through its secretary Anita Rajendra has already issued instructions to heads of all departments in Secretariat and other places as well as the District Collectors to provide fire safety measures and obtain NOCs for buildings coming under Section 13.
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The Government has, in fact, exempted the buildings coming under the Fire Act from payment of fire precaution fees at the rate of Rs.10 per sq.metres and levy of fee rules since the requisite fees is only going to be remitted from one Government department to another.
“Don’t Government vehicles get registered and take numbers allotted by the Road Transport Authority (RTA). Similarly, Government buildings are not exempt from following any fire safety rules. Sufficient time will be given for buildings to become fire safety rules complaint and obtain NOCs,” explained senior officials.