Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services on Thursday issued a notice to organisers on safety dos and don’ts. Here’s what the public safety notice specifies:All pandals, marquees and temporary stages must be erected away from schools, hospitals, warehouses storing flammable materials, furnaces, electric substations, transformers, high-tension power lines and railway tracksRoads and access paths must be kept clear for fire trucks in case of emergenciesEntry must be regulated according to pandal capacity. Pandals should allow for at least 1 sq m per person and should not have fixed partitions insideSeating layout must include an aisle after every 10 rows and 10 seats, with a minimum passageway width of 1.5mVenues must have at least two emergency exits located in mutually opposite directionsThe area facing the gate must have a 5m wide opening. The maximum distance to an exit must not exceed 15m‘No smoking’, ‘exit’ and ‘emergency exit’ signage a must inside and outside the structureAdequate fire safety measures at places of havans, where traditional lamps are lit and incense is burned. Ceilings above such areas must have CI/GI sheets at least 6cm thickNo combustible material, solid or liquid, must be stored near or beneath the stageFirecrackers, cooking supplies, LPG cylinders, smoking materials prohibited inside or immediately outside pandalA public address system to broadcast announcementsCommercial stalls inside the structure prohibitedAll electrical wiring and decorative lighting must comply with current laws and regulations, and be inspected and certified by a govt-approved electrical engineer. Electrical appliances installed must be as per IS-1646-1982Wiring inside pandal must feature PVC insulation, conductors, or tough vulcanised rubber, and all wiring joints must be fitted with porcelain-insulated connectors.In air-conditioned pandals or temporary structures, curtains and carpets must be treated with fire-retardant paint, and all floor carpets must meet fire-safety standards.Two trained personnel capable of operating fire extinguishers must be deployed 24/7 throughout the festivalThe organiser’s name and mobile number must be displayed prominently outside pandalsNOCs from authorities like police and traffic department must be obtained
