BMC to launch drive against polythene-covered shops

MANOJ KUMAR JENA, OP

Bhubaneswar: Following a series of fire incidents at Unit-I Market that raised concerns over fire safety in the city’s market areas, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to launch an enforcement drive against shops and kiosks using polythene sheets as covers or for constructing makeshift structures across the City.

According to officials, the fire that broke out at Unit-I Market January 20, in which around 70 shops were gutted, was largely attributed to the use of plastic materials and sheets by vendors, which helped the fire spread rapidly.

Both the BMC Mayor and Commissioner had cited plastic usage as a major contributing factor. The civic body said repeated warnings had been issued to vendors at Unit-I and Unit-II markets prohibiting the use of plastic at shops. However, even after the recent incident, several shops and kiosks at Unit-II Market and a few at Unit-I continue to use plastic sheet coverings. “We have no other option to cover our shops. These materials are weather-resistant and readily available on the market, whereas other fire-resistant materials are too expensive. Plastic sheets help us a lot,” said a vendor at Unit-II Market.

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Unit-II Market president Manas Kumar Baliarsingh said the government was not providing adequate support to poor vendors, forcing them to run makeshift shops for survival. “They use polythene sheets to construct their shops. The BMC is not consistently carrying out enforcement drives here. We also want alternative materials to replace polythene, but they are quite expensive,” Baliarsingh said.

Baliarsingh urged authorities to assist vendors by providing fire-resistant materials for their shops. BMC Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo said preparations are underway for an enforcement drive against vendors using plastic sheets and covers, and appropriate action will be taken. “Despite repeated warnings and awareness drives, vendors continue to use polythene sheets.

The recent fire incident is a stark reminder of the hazards. We will soon launch an enforcement drive across the City and take strict action against vendors using polythene sheets and covers to prevent such incidents in the future,” Sahoo said. He added, “Polythene sheets have also enabled makeshift vendors to encroach on roads, causing congestion. This drive will address that issue as well.”