The Bombay High Court at Goa has issued a slew of directions concerning the enforcement of fire safety norms directing all concerned authorities to ensure that the law is followed both in letter and spirit to ensure that the fire-related regulations of the Building Code are implemented including having a yearly programme for ensuring the fire safety audit is complied with.
Disposing a petition that was filed way back in the year 2004, the High Court ordered that there be regular, yearly, inspections of all buildings especially high rises, and also buildings in which there is large public habitation or gatherings like schools, colleges, hospitals, cinema houses, auditorium marriage halls etc.
“It would be the obligation and duty of the concerned department to have a yearly programme/agenda of having a fire audit of all vulnerable buildings and more particularly a meticulous compliance to be achieved,” the High Court bench of Justices G S Kulkarni and Bharat Deshpande ruled.
“The Government of Goa and the concerned Planning Authorities — NGPDA, SGPDA, the Commissioner of Corporation of the City of Panaji, Chief Officer of the Municipal Councils in the State of Goa and the Directorate of Panchayats, and all Town and Country Planning Authorities are directed to achieve strict compliance of the provision of the Goa Land Development and Building Construction Regulations, 2010 prescribing the fire safety norms,” the High Court said.
The High Court has also directed the authorities acting under the Regulations and under law are directed to appoint a Nodal Officer/Group of Officers who can consider a periodical inspection in regard to the installations, maintenance and compliances of fire safety norms in respect of special buildings like hospitals having indoor patients, schools and colleges, theatres, multiplexes and cinema houses, public auditoriums, public buildings and hotels.
“In regard to compliances of fire safety measures/norms by high rise buildings, schools and colleges, theatres, multiplexes, cinema houses, public auditoriums, public buildings, residential hotels, lodging and boarding houses, a database shall be maintained indicating the date of the fire safety compliances and inspection and such information be provided on the official website,” the High Court’s directions read.
“The concerned authorities shall ensure availability of all fire-fighting equipment like fire engines etc in the vicinity of complexes and buildings where larger habitation exists and/or public gatherings take Place. The Municipal Administration is also required to provide appropriate access/roads for movement of fire engines in all municipal areas,” the High Court said.
