Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has directed the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) issued instructions to the DFS to rationalise and simplify the procedures for obtaining fire NOC without compromising on the safety parameters by amending archaic fire safety rules before Diwali.

Saxena was reviewing the fire safety preparedness in the National Capital. He said for any regulation to succeed in achieving a purpose it has to be made compilable, else it just become a tool for harassment of common people.

Saxena asked for the revised procedural guidelines to be put in place before Diwali so that small eateries, restaurants, nursing homes, showrooms and other establishments that run from pillar to post for obtaining fire clearances could get the much needed relief.

The move will benefit a large number of restaurants, eateries, nursing homes and several other smaller business units that fail to comply with the existing fire safety parameters only due to intricate and archaic procedures and thus, in some cases, are forced to operate without the mandatory fire safety clearance.

This will also benefit the people at large by putting an end to harassment, unjustified delays and at the same time incentivise them to comply with the fire safety norms.

Those present in the meeting included Chief Secretary, Delhi, Principal Secretary (Home), Director, Fire Services and other senior officers of the departments concerned.

Saxena instructed officials to identify at least 50 locations prone to fire mishaps and deploy fire tenders at these locations and integrate them with the ambulance services so as to ensure quick response in case of any emergency.

To begin with, more than a dozen such locations will be identified ahead of Diwali and gradually a plan for the entire city will be prepared.

The Delhi Lieutenant Governor stressed that all fire accidents and mishaps are small only to begin with, and if contained immediately before spreading, loss of lives and properties can be saved.

Underlining that the city had grown exponentially in terms of population as well populated area, Saxena instructed to increase the number of fire stations in Delhi from the existing 64 to at least 80 and fire tenders to at least 350, from the present 220.

He gave clear instructions to bring down the Response Time for Fire rescue calls to 2-3 minutes, which at present varies from less than 8 minutes to more than 16 minutes.

Noting that the number of fire tenders, motor pump, foam tenders, hydraulic platform and other critical equipment available with DFS were insufficient to meet the fire safety requirements of Delhi, Saxena directed officials to increase the number of such equipment on a priority basis.

He directed officials to increase the number of ultra modern fire fighting equipment like, Remote Operated Fire Fighting Machines (Robots), Multi – Articulated Fire Towers, Drone Sprinklers, Aerial Ladders and others that would also enhance the safety of the Firemen and save lives.

Emphasising on the need for regular drills and awareness on fire safety, the Delhi Lieutenant Governor directed officials to prepare a calendar of regular drill programs at major hospitals, colleges, schools, hostels and crowded markets.

He instructed them to carry out fire safety drills at these places with prior notice, so as to ensure maximum participation of people and cause least inconvenience.