Early Times Report
JAMMU, Nov 4: On the instructions of Lieutenant Governor, G C Murmu, Government has ordered a Fire Safety Audit (FSA) of all the hotels across Jammu and Kashmir.
In this regard, Chief Secretary, B V R Subrahmanyam today chaired a meeting with Principal Secretary, Home, Director General, Fire and Emergency Services, Secretary DMRR&R, Director Tourism, Jammu and other officers. Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Director Tourism, Kashmir and other officers participated through video conferencing.
With the onset of winter, the requirement of electricity and heating gadgets increases in homes and other establishments especially hotels. Any laxity or ignorance in handling these gadgets can put human life to risk. It has been invariably noticed that the fire incidents increase during the winter months.
In order to check fire incidents, it is essential that appropriate safety and control measures are in place. It is towards this end that Government has worked out a multipronged strategy aimed at fire risk assessment, identifying fire hazards, determining fire safety and control measures and having in place evacuation plan/procedures in hotels to tackle any emergent situation/crisis.
As part of the strategy, a Fire Safety Audit of all Hotels/Guest Houses across J&K will be conducted by a 5-member team of officers to be constituted by the Divisional Administration Kashmir/Jammu with officers drawn from the Departments of J&K Fire and Emergency Services, Revenue, Tourism, Power and Tourism Development Authorities. The teams will submit the Hotel wise fire safety details to the respective Divisional Commissioners by 09.11.2019.
The FSA would cover inspection of hotel premises to ascertain fire safety measures / equipment in place and adequacy of the storage facilities for inflammable substances like Kerosene Oil, Cooking Gas, Petrol / Diesel etc and electricity systems. The Audit will also include ascertaining the adequacy of the training/awareness of the hotel staff and overall preparedness in spotting and reporting potential fire hazard issues and dealing with fire incidents.
The Hotels as will be found to be deficient or not conforming to the fire safety norms will be required to take corrective action and address the gaps, if any, by 30.11.2019.
The Fire & Emergency Services Department will organise training for the Hotel Staff from first week of December, 2019 about various aspects of fire prevention, protection and safety.
Also, the Director General, J&K Fire and Emergency Services Department will project the requirements of additional fire fighting equipment to strengthen the fire stations located in tourist destinations of Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonmarg and Srinagar in Kashmir Valley and Patnitop, Bhaderwah and Reasi in Jammu Division to the Home Department for its early procurement out of SDRF. |
