State slackens fire safety norms

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Bhubaneswar: In the wake of a major fire at SUM Hospital in October 2016 that claimed nearly two dozen lives, the state government had framed rigorous fire safety norms in October 2017. But the government has now decided to relax the norms by amending the Odisha Fire Prevention and Fire Safety Rules, 2017.
A Cabinet meeting, headed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Tuesday approved 17 proposals including the relaxed fire safety norms. Briefing reporters about the decision, Development Commissioner Asit Tripathy said, “Many things have not been defined properly in the existing rules. Therefore, the Cabinet has decided to amend the rules. The new norms will come into effect after the State Assembly passes them.”
The existing provisions to deposit one-third of training fees charged from trainees at the Unit Welfare Fund of Odisha Fire Services has been done away with, he said.
As per existing norms, all clinical establishments, business or office buildings, educational institutions and warehouses have to obtain fire safety certificate. But, now the norms for these establishments have been redefined, Tripathy said.
As per the decisions, clinical establishments of 12 square metre area and above, functioning in more than three floors, having more than 30 beds and having critical-care units are required to obtain the fire safety certificates. Other clinical units need not obtain such clearance, he said.
All underground or partially underground structures of 500 sq metres and above, educational buildings having a height of 12 metres and above operating in more than three floors having a built up area of 1000 sq metres need an approval.
The new norms require certificates for buildings (other than hotels) having a height of 15 metres and above; temporary structures of 1000 sq metres or more where the congregation is over 2000; warehouses or storage areas of 500 sq metres built up area or above; malls and shopping complexes having a height of 9 metres and above and built up area of 500 sq metres.
The norms for hotels, lodgings and guest houses, congregations, convention hall, assembly hall, recreation halls have been relaxed.
The existing provision for collection of fees of Rs 2 per square metre has been deleted while the fees for deployment of fire service units or first-aid fire fighting appliances for public/private functions has been reduced to Rs 5000 from Rs10,000, the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) said.