According to Jilesh Balal, all this is because people do not have the will to do any thing, they are in a state of inertia
In 2013, the Janki Kutir Residents Welfare Association, Juhu had sent out a letter to all of its 220 establishments including plots holders and flat owners that a few things need to be followed so that they are safe and better prepared. This was after a fire incident, that had occurred in Janki Kutir. This week when this paper visited Janki Kutir and met the secretary Jilesh Balal, the first thing he said that apart from a handful establishments including the iconic Prithvi and two other buildings, most of the buildings still do not have a proper mechanism for fire fighting.
According to Balal, all this is because people do not have the will to do any thing, they are in a state of inertia. The letter that was issued then, asked all members to ensure, that all cars owned by residents shall be strictly parked within their compounds, no cars shall stop on these streets except for pick up and drop, each society/bungalow/plot and household of Janki Kutir shall perform a fire audit by the an authorised agency and secure itself from future hazards. The association is also working towards approaching such agencies to perform an overall audit of the area.
Balal says none of this was followed. "Janki Kutir, has 220 residents and establishments and out of this only 40 per cent is ready to shell out more for better fire fighting equipment. If I have to say then Prithvi, Prithvi House and barring another plot, almost all the buildings here lack proper fire fighting measures," said Balal.
When we visited the area, that is spread over 10 acres of land, there were many cars that one could find parked outside the compound. Balal says that people aren't ready to shell out, "Today an average of Rs 4,000 per month maintenance is what every household pays, if a proper fire fighting mechanism is put in place then the per month maintenance will go up by hardly Rs 1000-1500 and even that many aren't shell out. Imagine if this is the state of one of the elite society then what would be the scene in other old societies." Most buildings are old in the society, the paths are narrow and the secretary says that it is impossible for a fire tender to even take a u-turn once it enters. Balal says when people shift to high rises they pay more because their already exist a high maintenance.
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