Fire brigade issues safety rules for Ganesh mandals

  • | Monday | 23rd July, 2018

The fire brigade has issued detailed fire safety requirements for Ganeshotsav and Navratri pandals to prevent mishaps in the festive season. So far, Ganesh mandals needed to follow a few fire safety requirements that were part of the local ward office’s checklist and acquire a no-objection certificate from the fire brigade. It is relying on owners’ self-certification on complying with building construction rules, licence conditions, Health Department permissions, and now, fire safety measures. Organisers will need to submit a signed copy of fire safety requirements to the BMC as part of the permissions to erect a pandal. The onus will be on organisers to ensure the rules are complied with through an undertaking to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

more-in The fire brigade has issued detailed fire safety requirements for Ganeshotsav and Navratri pandals to prevent mishaps in the festive season. The rules, in force from July 16, require organisers or mandals to ensure the pandal is 10 feet away from a building, offer unhindered access to fire engines, appoint fire marshals, and not burst firecrackers near pandals. The onus will be on organisers to ensure the rules are complied with through an undertaking to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). “All these years, fire brigade staffers were supposed to carry out inspection of pandals, but the number of pandals in Mumbai is huge,” said Deputy Municipal Commissioner Narendra Barde. “That is why, on the principles of ease of doing business, we have listed a detailed procedure they are supposed to follow. We rely on them to follow the rules, failing which they can be prosecuted.” Mr. Barde said fire brigade officers will only inspect bigger pandals like Lalbaugcha Raja. Self-certification While the BMC is cracking down on establishments following last year’s fire at Kamala Mills in Lower Parel, which claimed 14 lives, it also wants to reduce the number of permissions and inspections under its ease of doing business policy. It is relying on owners’ self-certification on complying with building construction rules, licence conditions, Health Department permissions, and now, fire safety measures. The rules are already in force for eating houses, commercial establishments and high-rises. So far, Ganesh mandals needed to follow a few fire safety requirements that were part of the local ward office’s checklist and acquire a no-objection certificate from the fire brigade. Now, however, if they do not comply with the directives, action will be taken against them under the Fire Act, 2006. Organisers will need to submit a signed copy of fire safety requirements to the BMC as part of the permissions to erect a pandal. The process can be completed online. The requirements include keeping the pandal 10 feet away from a building without encroaching upon its approach road or open space. This has been done keeping in mind rescue, evacuation and firefighting. The list asks not to erect structures more than 45 m away from a motorable road. Besides, the rules prohibit smoking, cooking or bursting firecrackers in and around the pandal, and detail the number of extinguishers required based on the size of the stage. They require every mandal to have a trained fire marshal wearing a jacket and cap who will undertake necessary measures until fire engines arrive, apart from security guards.

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