‘Adhere to fire norms or face music’

Rajkot: The Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) has warned all the schools— government and private— to adhere to fire safety norms by June 10 when the new academic year begins, or be ready to face the action. There are nearly 700 schools in Rajkot city.
This was conveyed by the civic body officials to the school authorities during a meeting held on Friday.
The civic body made it clear to the school authorities mainly self-financed ones that they should have at least a 50,000 litre water tank in high rise building and the entry gate need to be minimum 6.5m wide.
The RMC officials also specified that every school should have fire safety equipment and emergency exit route planned in case of fire.
“If the fire safety system is not found to be satisfactory the civic body will seal the school premises,” said RMC commissioner Banchha Nidhi Pani. The schools have also been asked to get the no objection certificate from fire department by June 10, he added.
“As per our knowledge many schools don’t have adequate fire safety facility. We will make sure that when the schools open on June 10 they are adhering to the fire safety norms,” Pani said.
RMC officials have further clarified that schools with shades and construction on terraces should remove it immediately.
The fire department will check the water tank in the schools, emergency exits and if it was found to be in violation of fire safety norms, the professional license of the school could be cancelled.
This move by the civic body comes in the wake of the last month’s fire tragedy in Surat where 22 young people lost their lives.