Cuttack: Soon the fire safety measures would be introduced at Biju Bhawan and Bikash Bhawan, the two offices of Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) here.
CMC commissioner Sarat Chandra Nayak has directed the civic body officials to take necessary steps to introduce fire safety measures at Biju Bhawan and Bikash Bhawan.
“We would contact the fire brigade personnel and ask them to survey both the offices of CMC. We would install modern fire safety equipment at the two offices,” Nayak said.
The CMC authorities have initiated process to install fire safety equipment at Biju Bhawan and Bikash Bhawan after facing criticism from several quarters on the issue.
It was alleged that the CMC is yet to have fire safety measures at its two offices as per the Odisha Fire Prevention and Safety (OFPS) guidelines. Consequently, the lives of hundreds of civic body officials will be in danger if fire breaks out in the CMC offices. Moreover, there is every possibility that the fire would destroy many important files and documents.
Some social activists alleged that the CMC has failed to install fire safety equipment at its offices but it is asking malls, educational institutions and Kalyan Mandaps to install the same.
Highlighting the unavailability of fire safety measures at CMC offices, social activist Sukanta Sethi had filed a case against the civic body with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
Sethi informed the rights body that the CMC authorities have been raiding shops and malls and asking them to introduce fire safety measures. But, the civic body is yet to have measures in place to deal with fire incidents.
Sethi informed the NHRC that it is mandatory for offices having more than 30 employees to install fire safety equipment. Besides, the offices should have fire safety licences from the fire brigade department.
