New Delhi, Jun 1 (PTI) The apex body of resident welfare associations across Delhi on Monday demanded that the Delhi government convene a round table involving civic bodies, power distribution companies, police and RWAs to formulate a standard operating procedure for fire safety in residential buildings.
Citing the blaze at a residential building in East Delhi’s Vivek Vihar that killed nine persons on May 3, Atul Goyal, president of the United Residents Joint Action (URJA), said in a statement the incident showed that “neither government departments nor individual residents have learnt from past tragedies”.
Goyal cited the absence of a standard operating procedure (SOP) for fire safety in the Delhi Disaster Management Plan, weak enforcement of building
by-laws, poor compliance with fire safety norms, denial of roof access in builder floors and a lack of police safety protocols as factors contributing to such incidents.
He also raised concerns over electrical overloading during peak summer months, claiming that long-running air-conditioners were becoming “fire bombs” due to the absence of load audits and certification of finished electrical goods.
In the statement, URJA sought a round table comprising officials from the Delhi Fire Service, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Delhi Development Authority, Delhi Disaster Management Authority, power discoms, Delhi Police, and representatives of RWAs to frame a fire safety SOP for residential buildings within 30 days.
It also demanded accountability for officials, builders and RWAs found to have failed in their statutory duties related to fire safety.
Among other measures, URJA called for technical audits of electrical appliances and sought intervention by the Bureau of Indian Standards and the Bureau of Energy Efficiency to ensure that only appliances capable of withstanding Delhi’s summer load are notified and sold.
It also sought amendments to building regulations to make roof access, refuge areas and fire clearances mandatory for builder floors above 15 metres in height.
In a letter to the chief secretary, URJA said its preliminary assessment of the east Delhi fire pointed to multiple gaps, including the absence of building-specific fire SOPs for the RWAs and first responders, alleged violations of provisions relating to roof access and refuge areas, lack of fire drills and coordination with agencies, and overloading caused by continuous use of air-conditioners during peak summer.
It also urged the government to provide the RWAs with training, equipment and statutory SOPs, saying they were prepared to function as “first responders” in emergencies.
“Fire safety is a 12th Schedule duty under the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act. RWAs are the first responders, but the government must provide us with an SOP. Delhi cannot afford another Uphaar,” Goyal said.
The fire at Uphaar Cinema in Delhi’s Green Park on June 13, 1997, claimed 59 lives and injured more than 100 others. PTI VBH VBH ARI ARI
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