Pune: PMC has issued notices to as many as 414 establishments across the city in the past one week for not following fire safety norms. Civic officials said it was discovered that these hospitals, hostels, paying guest (PG) facilities, educational institutes and other places have not taken adequate measures to deal with a potential fire emergency.Ganesh Sonune, head of Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) fire brigade department, said, “Lack of preparedness of these establishments was exposed during the ongoing special drive spanning over a week. Action will continue in days to come.”Special drives are usually held after major fire incidents across the state or in other parts of the country, and the recent action was undertaken following the collapse of a PG accommodation building in Delhi early in Sept, resulting in seven deaths. Fire brigade officials said they have also been carrying out audits at regular intervals. These audits typically study likely causes of fire in establishments, as well as the availability of emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and their validity.Annual audits are a must for running a hospital, and the report highlights whether a medical facility is safe to run. In an audit in 2021-22, the fire brigade department had scrutinised over 240 hospitals. The initiative was taken with the help of private auditors after a fire mishap at a hospital in Mumbai’s Virar. PMC had last carried out fire audits of all auditoriums across civic areas in 2023 and highlighted various shortfalls.Another senior official of the fire brigade department said, “We have made it mandatory to install sprinklers and other facilities in commercial establishments. Equipment like fire extinguishers must be available. Even regular training and mock drills have been encouraged to educate people about safety measures.”According to citizens, fire audits and action against violators need to be strictly enforced. Many said the civic administration should focus on educational institutes, as a large number of students live in Pune, which is considered an educational hub.“The number of students preparing for competitive exams is high in the city. A majority of them stay in PGs as they are affordable, but facilities at these places are not adequate. It can lead to mishaps, and such incidents have happened in the past,” said Pravin Chavan, an MPSC aspirant.PMC officials said the state mandates biennial Fire and Life Safety Audits under Section 45A of the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006, inserted by a 2023 amendment. Owners of specified buildings must engage licensed auditors every two years and submit audit certificates to the fire department, alongside separate half-yearly maintenance filings.Defaulters face rigorous imprisonment ranging from six months to three years and a fine for contraventions. Authorities may also recover compliance costs, disconnect utilities, evacuate occupants, and seal premises if fire safety lapses pose an imminent danger.
