The Karol Bagh hotel fire killed 17 (Express photo by Tashi Tobgyal)Days after a fire at a Karol Bagh hotel claimed 17 lives, Delhi Fire Service chief G C Misra tells The Indian Express that “strict enforcement of law” can help “mitigate the extent of loss” in such incidents.
What is the challenge when it comes firefighting in a city like Delhi?
Delhi is a city of planned and unplanned development, with a high population density. Buildings of different eras exist and are used for purposes different from what they were constructed for. The life- and fire-safety issues are predominantly structural in nature and, therefore, start with the design of the building itself. It is not something that is available on shelves in the market, that one can buy and put in the building to make it safe from the fire- and life-safety point of view.
The biggest challenge, thus, is to negotiate with old buildings in unplanned areas and old settlements, and gaining access to different levels of a building. This comes at the cost of minutes, meaning delayed firefighting and rescue operations.
Do guesthouses and restaurants misuse certain loopholes in the Delhi Fire Service Rules, 2010?
Yes. Also, fire laws apply prospectively — they apply to buildings that are constructed on or after the date of commencement of the law. The issue of existing buildings is a complex issue.
You have been at the helm of the DFS for a reasonable amount of time. What changes have you managed to bring during your tenure?
Use of technology over the individual’s wisdom, strengthening the institutional mechanism for effective and efficient delivery of services, development of training facilities, building and maintaining high morale of the force are some of the core issues that I focused on.
What is the current vacancy status in DFS and how crucial is it to fill these posts?
It is true that a large number of posts are vacant in the department. Vacancy and filling up of vacancies is a routine process. Over 500 persons are undergoing training at our Fire Safety Management Academy and would be available by June.
What measures can prevent a tragedy like the one at Hotel Arpit Palace?
The efforts required to prevent a fire tragedy would be enormous and may not eliminate occurrence of fires completely. But the extent of loss can be mitigated by improving preparedness through measures such as good techno-legal regime, strict enforcement of law, and more comprehensive public education programmes.
