Firms that find the existing fire safety norms too stringent will be provided with "alternative solutions", fire minister Javed Ahmed Khan said on Thursday.
"We want to provide alternative solutions of fire safety to business establishments if they find some of the existing rules stringent to implement. Please approach us. Our officials will help you out," Khan said. "We will do everything within the ambit of law."
Khan was addressing a seminar on fire safety, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry, at a star hotel.
The minister later elaborated on the nature of alternative solutions: an industrial cluster may have a common water reservoir if it is hard-pressed for space; an old establishment may be allowed to build a temporary fire-safety staircase or an office building can apply for deep tube well if they don't have adequate space to build a reservoir. The department will judge every case on merit, said Khan.
The minister's announcement came at a time when several city businessmen have accused fire department officers of exploiting "archaic" guidelines to extort money.
Olypub and Chatterjee International, which were on fire late last year, had found it difficult to reopen because their authorities had to struggle to comply with fire-safety guidelines.
Many in the business community felt that the government's flexible approach might reduce their harassment at the hands of officials and also provide further impetus to the industry to undertake fire safety preparedness.
Khan said the government's main objective was to minimise fires. "We understand that it is not possible to follow safety guidelines verbatim. I request industry members to come to us and we will extend all cooperation."
The minister's statement marked a significant shift in the government's stance. One of the reasons could be that the government has seen justification in the firms' complaint that some of the guidelines were almost impossible to implement.
"For example, it is almost impossible to convince a landlord to allow the tenant to create another exit point. Similarly, building a reservoir to stock 2 lakh litres of water on a central Calcutta premises is unrealistic," the secretary of a katra (market) in Burrabazar said. "Some fire department officials use these guidelines to demand money from firms."
The other reason behind the shift in the government's stance could be the frequent fires, resulting in loss of business and giving rise to unemployment. It is estimated that more than 50 people lost their jobs when a fire broke out at Citi Mart in Humayun Place on April 26.
"Several people lose their livelihoods in every fire. It may be a sweatshop in Topsia or a market in Burrabazar. In a state like Bengal where few new jobs are created, a loss of every job is a setback," said a senior fire department officer.
In his address to 100 representatives from various companies, Khan suggested that the industry "step up" fire safety measures.
"The government cannot bear the burden of the entire industry. The industry and other stakeholders will have to step up their fire safety measures for their own good. This way both you and your business will be safe," said Khan.
In the past few years the government has procured modern equipment to fight fires. But officers have noticed that in many fires the infrastructure is becoming redundant because there is hardly any scope to put them to use as owners have flouted norms.
He cited the example of the fire in New Secretariat in April where a 55m skylift could not be deployed because the gates did not have adequate space to let it in.
"The minister's assurance of cooperation will spur industry to follow fire safety guidelines. We will work in tandem with the fire department to spread awareness about fire safety," Sanjib K. Bezbaroa, the chairman of CII (eastern region), safety task force, said.
