Kolkata: All hospitals and nursing homes
in the city will come under inspection by a combined group of
personnel to monitor if fire safety norms are strictly adhered
to as per ideal building code.
Mandatory requirements were laid down on Thursday at a
high-level meeting chaired by state chief secretary Samar
Ghosh who said whether fire safety measures were fool-proof
or not would be monitored and non-compliance would invite
closure.
Ghosh told reporters that specific time limits would
be fixed for fulfilment of the fire safety measures.
The meeting, attended by Commissioner of Kolkata
police, DGP, ADG (hq), Disaster Management secretary and Fire
services director, decided that civil defence volunteers would
be imparted training in fire services. ''They should be
available as auxiliary fire service personnel''.
The fire service department would also be revamped and
the department had been asked to purchase gas masks,
breathing apparatus and other inputs in adequate quantity, he
said.
The chief secretary said that Kolkata Municipal
Corporation had been asked to verify if building plans of
nursing homes and hospitals were altered by the parties even
after sanction.
The Corporation and the police would jointly work in
this regard.
Disaster Management department will publicise a
guideline for observing fire safety norms in multi-storyed
residential buildings, he said.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, December 15, 2011, 22:33