Ludhiana: A month-long campaign by the municipal corporation (MC) to enforce fire-safety compliance has fallen flat, with the Jan 31 deadline passing amidst public apathy and technical hurdles.Despite threats of hefty fines and building closures, fire officials report that applications for no-objection certificates (NOCs) remain stagnant, leaving the vast majority of the city’s commercial and industrial hubs unprotected.The Enforcement GapUnder the Fire Prevention and Fire Safety Act (2012), an NOC is mandatory for all commercial entities, including educational institutions, coaching centres, and industrial units. On January 1, the MC warned that failure to comply within 30 days could result in penalties reaching up to Rs 50,000 and sealing, which is the permanent closure of buildings for adamant violators.However, fire officials estimate that only 2% of industrial units have come forward. The situation is particularly dire in residential-cum-commercial hubs like Sunder Nagar and Madhopuri, where small-scale units operate out of homes with almost zero adherence to safety norms.Technical and Financial BarriersOfficials admit that while the public’s lack of interest is a factor, recent policy changes by the state govt have complicated the filing process. Key obstacles cited by fire department staff include portal transition, mandatory audits, and cost increases. The shifting of applications to the Punjab Invest portal has been plagued by technical glitches. Applicants are now required to submit a certificate from a chartered accountant before an application can even be processed. The govt now offers NOCs valid for three or five years, but the increased upfront costs have deterred small business owners.A History of NegligenceAssistant divisional fire officer Jaswinder Singh noted that while phone inquiries had increased following the public notice, they did not translate into actual filings. “In past fire incidents, we have consistently observed that the affected buildings lacked both proper fire-fighting equipment and valid NOCs,” a fire department official said.Even among those who do invest in safety, many opt for “partial arrangements”, such as a few extinguishers, that are insufficient for the scale of their operations. As the deadline expires, the MC now faces the challenge of whether to follow through on its threat to seal thousands of non-compliant properties or extend the grace period once again. MSID:: 127860775 413 |
