Lokayukta Orders Action on Fire Safety..::17th September 2014

BANGALORE: Responding to an Express report, the Karnataka Lokayukta on Tuesday summoned key officials and questioned them about the shocking lack of fire safety at Bangalore’s courts.

Upa Lokayukta Justice Subhash B Adi on Tuesday took suo motu notice of the report, titled ‘Risk High as Courts Disregard Fire Safety Rules’, on the very day it was published.

Submissions by key PWD, fire services and BBMP officials revealed that most government buildings in Bangalore, including the Vidhana Soudha, are death traps in the event of a fire.

Justice Adi called the Deputy Director of Fire Services, Assistant Director of Town Planning, BBMP, and the Chief Engineer (Communication and Buildings), PWD, to ask them about the disregard of safety measures in government buildings, including the magistrate court building on Nrupathunga Road, and the City Civil and Sessions Court Complex near Cauvery Bhavan.

No Consultation

The Deputy Director of Karnataka Fire Services submitted that the PWD does not consult the fire services department nor does it seek a no-objection certificate from it. He further submitted that even the Vidhana Soudha, Vikasa Soudha, Multi-Storied (MS) Building and other government buildings had not obtained any clearance from the fire Services department.

Despite fire safety inspections at government buildings and advice, nothing has been done, he said. The Chief Engineer, Building and Commission (South), PWD, said his department had sought no approval for fire safety from the fire services department.

Government buildings do not obtain construction plan licences or sanctions from BBMP or the local body. According to the prevailing practice, the building plan is prepared by the PWD engineer and sent to the BBMP or local body only for information, he said.

Rs10-cr Fund

The government has reserved `10 crore for 2014-15 for fire safety in government buildings in Bangalore, and the allocation covers the Vidhana Soudha, Vikasa Soudha, Multi-Storied Building, Visvesvaraya Tower, Technical Education Building, Legislators’ Home, CMM Courts, Bangalore City Civil Court Complex, and the High Court. In this regard, PWD has engaged the services of a former director of the Karnataka Fire Services for suggestions, the engineer told the Upa Lokayukta.

He said an action plan would be drawn up to provide fire safety for all major government buildings in Bangalore.

Big Inspection

The Deputy Director of Fire Service Department said he would inspect all major high-rise government buildings and submit a report within two months.

Justice Adi observed that though PWD government building plans were not subject to BBMP or local body approval, the privilege should not be used to violate building bye-laws.

The Upa Lokayukta directed the PWD Chief Engineer to submit his proposed action within two months and the Deputy Director of Fire Services to conduct an inspection of all major government buildings.

This action will also apply to all the government buildings even in northern Karnataka. Justice Adi directed the officials to submit their action-taken and inspection reports and appear before him on November 17.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/Lokayukta-Orders-Action-on-Fire-Safety/2014/09/17/article2435291.ece