Uttarakhand CM Dhami Warns Against Negligence, Orders Time-Bound Fire Safety Review

In the wake of the devastating Lucknow fire that claimed 15 lives, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered a statewide fire safety audit of hospitals, coaching centres, malls, hotels, commercial establishments, and other public-use buildings.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has taken serious cognisance of the recent fire tragedy in Lucknow and asked the authorities to conduct a comprehensive fire safety audit across the state. The audit will cover hospitals, coaching centres, hotels, malls, government offices, commercial establishments and other public buildings.

Public Safety First

Public safety is one of the highest priorities of the government, said the Chief Minister addressing a high-level meeting at the state secretariat. “Any laxity in implementation of fire safety norms will not be tolerated at any cost,” he said.

Concentrate on Critical Safety Systems

Dhami has directed the officials to identify the institutions where the fire-fighting arrangements are not up to the prescribed standards. He told the departments to thoroughly check fire safety equipment, emergency exit routes, electrical safety systems and evacuation readiness for when emergencies happen.

Time-Bound Audit State-Wide

The Chief Minister directed that the audit should be completed within a specified time frame with close cooperation of the Fire Department, district administrations and other relevant departments. The objective is to identify deficiencies speedily and take corrective action without delay.

Concentrate on High-Risk Buildings

Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan said district authorities have been asked to do on-site inspection of high-rise buildings, densely populated areas, buildings having poor escape routes and buildings in narrow lanes. Departments have also been asked to carry out comprehensive safety reviews in their respective sectors.

Lucknow fire lessons

This comes in the backdrop of a major fire incident in Lucknow in which many people lost their lives and raised concerns about fire preparedness in public buildings. To avoid future tragedies of this kind, the Uttarakhand government is banking on proactive inspections and stricter enforcement.