Berhampur: The fire services department has fixed October 28 as the deadline for all big buildings to take corrective measures and comply with the fire safety norms and obtain no-objection certificates.

It has started issuing notices to various building establishments since February 3 to this effect. The notices are being served in phases and all the establishments have been asked to comply within three months of getting the notice.

These establishments include shops, multi-storey apartments and shopping malls.

"The Odisha Saree Centre at Hanuman Bazaar, which was reduced to ashes in a fire, had no safety measures in place. With such incidents occurring frequently, we have issued notices to 300 business establishments, multi-storey apartments and shopping malls to adhere to the fire safety norms and obtain the no-objection certificates from the fire department," said southern region fire officer Jagga Rao, head fire officer of 10 southern revenue districts.

"The apartments, malls and other business establishments that fail to install the fire safety equipment would be sealed subsequently," he said.

The Odisha Fire Safety and Fire Prevention Rules came into force on October 4 last year that make it mandatory for hospitals, nursing homes, cinemas and malls to adhere to the rules.

According to the regulation, these buildings need the fire fighting measures such as wet risers, hose reel, automatic sprinkler systems and yard hydrants. The buildings also need to have terrace tanks, fire pumps, auto-detection systems, illuminated exit signs, manually operated electrical fire alarm systems, hose boxes with delivery hoses and branch. Besides, the establishment also need to have space for evacuation and operations of fire tenders, sources said.