Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Tuesday launched a month-long special drive to check fire-safety preparedness in major public and commercial establishments across the state, officials said.
The inspection campaign, which will continue till October 15, follows a recent deadly hotel fire in Delhi that claimed 23 lives, they said.
As part of the exercise, surprise inspections will be carried out at shopping malls, hospitals, educational institutions and other public and commercial buildings to assess compliance with prescribed fire-safety standards and identify deficiencies.
Director General of Fire Services Sudhanshu Sarangi said particular attention would be given to older buildings, where fire-safety systems may require strengthening.
“New buildings generally have the required fire-safety measures. The concern is with older buildings, which need functional and active fire-safety systems to tackle possible fire incidents,” Sarangi said.
The Odisha Fire & Emergency Services said the campaign is aimed at reviewing existing fire-safety practices, identifying gaps and promoting compliance to make communities better prepared to deal with emergencies.
Officials said action would be taken against establishments found violating or deviating from fire-safety norms. Notices would be issued to the proprietors concerned, while such cases would also be brought to the attention of the respective development authorities, they added.
