Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla and corporation officers during surprise inspection in the clubs.
Jagran correspondent, Chandigarh. 25 people died in a massive fire in a nightclub in Goa on Saturday night. Not only the club owner but the entire system is responsible for this. Because after the accident, questions have been raised regarding fire safety. Similar negligence is being done in the night clubs running in Chandigarh, which was revealed in the surprise inspection conducted on Thursday by the team of Municipal Corporation and Fire Department under the leadership of Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla.
During this time it was revealed that many clubs have bar license, but even the mandatory fire safety NOC has not been obtained. During inspection it also came to light that many club operators had made changes in entry-exit without permission. In some clubs, both entry and exit were found at the same place, which could prove fatal in any emergency.
There will be crowd in clubs for celebrations on Christmas and New Year. If any accident happens, whose responsibility will it be? However, understanding the situation, Mayor and Joint Commissioner cum Chief Fire Officer Dr. Inderjeet issued a notice to such clubs on the spot and instructed them to complete all the fire safety standards and obtain NOC within seven to 21 days. It was also warned that if the deficiencies are not rectified within the stipulated time, the report of the clubs will be sent to the Excise Department, due to which their bar licenses may be cancelled.
Negligence not only in small establishments but also in big hotels
During the inspection campaign, Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla herself reached the spot and checked the security arrangements. During this period, major hotels, clubs, cafes, restaurants and business premises of the city were searched.
Fire NOC was not found in many clubs of Sector-26. Ignoring fire safety standards was seen not only in small establishments but even in big hotels, on which officials expressed displeasure.
There were tools, but they were of no use.
During the inspection, the availability of fire fighting equipment, their functionality, fire alarm system, emergency exit routes and evacuation indicators were thoroughly checked. Equipment was present at many places, but it was not found to be in working condition. In some clubs, emergency exits were blocked and direction boards were not even installed. Many club managers could not even give satisfactory answers to questions related to security arrangements when asked.
Check from Hyatt to Elante
The inspection started from Hotel Hyatt Centric located in Sector-17, where deficiencies in fire safety were found. Rules were also not followed in Ty Hotel located in Sector-34. After this, investigations were conducted in the clubs and restaurants of Sector-26 and 7, where serious deficiencies were revealed in many establishments. The basement and clubs in Elante Mall located in the industrial area were investigated. Most of the arrangements here were satisfactory, although some clubs were instructed to improve.
Public safety is paramount during the festival season. No relaxation will be given against clubs running without FIRE NOC. In such cases, a report will be sent to the Excise Department to cancel the bar license.— Harpreet Kaur Babla, Mayor, Chandigarh