SMC notices to buildings flouting fire safety norms

Buildings in Surat will now soon come under the Surat Municipal Corporation's (SMC) fire department. The fire department officials will be conducting a survey to check if they comply with fire safety norms or not. The department has already issued notices to more than 300 buildings in the city till now which do not match the required safety norms.

The SMC decided to conduct checks on buildings after a report stated that many buildings in the city lack required fire  safety measures. The department officials will survey all zone in the city, and especially textile markets and commercial establishments in each zone.

There are more than 1,000 high rise structures in the city, of which SMC has issued notices to about 300 buildings. "The decision was taken after we found that many buildings lack fire safety norms. There have been amendments in the policy which will make sure buildings upto 16.5 mts of height - low rise buildings will need to have fire safety measures in place. Recently, we sealed three malls in the city which did not comply with the safety norms," G Kothwala, chief fire officer of SMC, said.

He added that department issues notices to buildings twice and even if it does not fulfill the norms, it asks Town Development Office to disconnect water and sewage connections. Department has issued second notices to many edifices and if norms are not fulfilled, recommendation to take action will be made.

Sources in fire department said that officials have decided to conduct survey in remaining edifices post Diwali.