Coaching centres get 30 days to meet fire safety norms

Ramkrishan Upadhyay
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, July 22

The coaching centres, which have been facing the sealing prospect due to non-adherence with the fire safety norms, were partially relieved in a meeting with Sub-divisional Magistrate (Centre) Nazuk Kumar here today.

While the representatives of the coaching centres raised concern over the “strict” and “unviable” norms, the SDM made it clear that all coaching centres will have to comply with all norms in the stipulated time. She said: “Those who have applied for an NOC will not be sealed for now. They have been given 30-day time to install the equipment as is necessary according to the Fire Department. No further extension will be given.”

She said those who have failed to act on the notices and have not applied for an NOC would be sealed.

The representatives of coaching centres have termed some of the conditions imposed by the Fire Department, such as two stair cases and 5,000-litre water tanks on roof top, unviable. They said meeting the criteria of an underground water tank is also not possible.

The Sub-Divisional Magistrate had earlier issued notices for the sealing of more than 60 coaching centres, who had failed to comply with the fire safety norms. The SDM, along with the fire officers, had carried out a survey of the coaching centres to check the fire safety norms in Sector 15, 2, 24 and 17 and took stock of violations.