The Visakha Urban Development Corporation has flouted all norms and constructed a high rise building. The building doesnt have the minimum fire safety measures in place.
And Vuda is not the only one that has flouted the fire safety norms. The Fire department says that about 100 high-rise structures in Visakhapatnam have flouted the fire safety norms.
Fire: Nearly 70 per cent city buildings are unsafe
2011/12/19 17:35:30 The fire accident in a commercial complex on Road No 1 at Banjara Hills on Monday evening should be an eye opener for the Fire Services Department and other departments.
The statistics related to violation of fire safety norms in the high rise buildings in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits present a shocking picture. Of more than 7,000 high-rise buildings in the GHMC limits, less than 30 per cent have obtained a No Objection Certificate from the Fire Prevention Wing of the GHMC.
The GHMC staff, it appears, did not wake up, even after several major fire accidents reported in the city in the last few years. They include the incidents at the High Court building, Secretariat, Shanti Fire Works at Osmangunj and Pushpanjali Complex at Koti. The shocking fire accident of AMRI Hospital at Kolkotta should have forced the GHMC to adopted stringent norms with regard to fire safety in high-rise buildings. But that did not happen.
As per the statistics, of nearly 5,000 residential apartments and 1800 commercial complexes, a whopping 65 to 70 per cent buildings are totally unsafe.
Of about 600 hospitals in the GHMC limits, only 150 hospitals have secured the NOCs on fire safety. A majority of 50 multi-storeyed corporate hospitals too do not have sufficient fire safety measures or equipments. According to an official, at least 60 per cent of patients or inmates in nearly 300 hospitals would not be able to escape in case of a major fire.
Similar is the case of 1860 schools in the GHMC limits where more than 5 lakh students are studying. Of them, only 300 schools have taken the NOCs on fire safety. It means that as many as 1500 schools have not even applied for the NOC from the GHMC's Fire Prevention Wing.
Of 300 major hotels, nearly 25 to 30 per cent have no fire safety norms. Likewise, nearly 800 small and medium lodges have nothing in terms of fire safety.
After the Kolkotta incident, the GHMC has started the inspection of fire safety measures in hospitals. However, due to shortage of staff and resources, it would take at least one year for them to complete the inspection of 600 hospitals.
Under this scenario, one can imagine how much time the GHMC or other departments would take to complete the inspection of nearly 7,000 buildings in the city. These statistics would force the common man to think whether safety in case of fire would ever be a reality in Hyderabad. (INN)
Govt admits shortage of fire stations, staff in the State
2012/3/22 4:18:19 The State Government on Thursday admitted that the number of fire station, vehicles and strength of staff were not in accordance with the norms of fire services in the State, particularly in twin cities.
Replying to a question raised by Akbaruddin Owaisi during Question Hour in the State Legislative Assembly on Thursday, Home Minister P Sabitha Indira Reddy said that presently there were 252 Fire Stations in the State including 13 Fire Stations in the twin cities. She said these fire stations were working round the clock. However, she said that as per the norms there should be one fire station within a radius of 10 kilometers and therefore, more fire stations were required in the city.
The Home Minister said that that the government has in principle accepted the proposal for sanction of 16 new fire stations in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation jurisdiction in three phases in addition to the existing 13 fire stations. The fire stations would be set up at the State Secretariat, Assembly, High Court, Salarjung Museum, Maheshwaram and Madhapur. Six more stations have been proposed at different places including Chandrayangutta, Uppal, LB Nagar and Mehdipatnam. She said fire stations would also be set up at 10 market yards in the State.
Sabith Indira Reddy said that Rs 152 crore has been sanctioned for the Fire Services Department under non-plan and Rs 32 crore under plan expenditure. She said that the department has spent Rs 17 crore in the last three years for modernisation of equipments. She said Andhra Pradesh has been collecting the lowest fee of Rs 10 per sft for issuing NOC on Fire Safety from the high-rise buildings.
Not satisfied with the minister's reply, MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi said that as per the norms, the city should have one fire station for a population 50,000. However, the norms have been violated. He said there 20 government buildings including BRK Bhavan, the Secretriat and Gruha Kalpa which lack fire safety equipments. He also complained that the there was only one fire station at Moghalpura for the entire Old City and this too lack re-fuelling facility. He pointed out to Speaker Nadendla Manohar that even the Legislative Assembly do not have a fire station.
Congress MLA Anam Vivekananda Reddy too pointed out the lapses in the power safety equipments and measures. He complained of lack of required equipment, dry chemicals and staff for the Fire Safety Department.
However, the Home Minister said that the government has accorded sanction of six new fire stations in the first phase. It is also proposed to open or upgrade eight fire stations in the GHMC area under the 13th Finance Commission grants to enhance the fire fighting and rescue capabilities to save the public property. (INN)
2007/11/2 6:08:01 The public auction conducted by the Visakha Urban Development Authority received good response and filled its offers. Bidders participated in large numbers for the open auction of plots in areas like Madhurawada, Paradesipalem, Dakamarri, Bakkannapalem etc.
The plot sizes vary from one acre to 100 acres. VUDA found buyers for seven bits of land and the auction fetched VUDA a sum of Rs. 356 crore.
2007/11/1 7:24:27 The public auction conducted by the Visakhapatnam Urban Development authority has proved to a big success. Contrary to the rather poor response to an earlier auction by HUDA in Hyderabad, the VUDA auction saw many bidders quoting a good price for the lands.
The auction fetched a record price of five crore per acre at Madhurawada in Visakhapatnam.
Fire safety measures in place in corporate hospitals: Sabitha
2012/3/1 23:44:14 Home Minister P Sabitha Indira Reddy on Friday informed the State Legislative Assembly that the State Government has taken safety measures for the prevention of fire accidents in corporate hospitals.
Replying to a question raised by Congress MLA J Ramesh and others during Question Hour, the minister listed out the measures being enforced on corporate hospitals for prevention of accidents.
The hospitals have been asked to remove all hoardings made of combustible material; provision of openable windows in the landings of the existing stair case/ramp for smoke venting; emergency lighting with battery backup for four hours; auto-glow exist sings; fire extinguishers; foam trolley of 22.5 lts capacity extinguisher at transformer and provision of terrace tank of 20,000 lts booster pump of 900 LLPM. Further, the hospitals have been asked to provide openable windows in each floor with 'Red Border' for easy identification from outside, in cases of glass facade; prohibition of furnishing with polyurethane foam and provide safety nets.
The minister said that training of all security personnel and hospital staff in fire fighting and evacuation has been done in three phases at AP Fire Services State Training School at Vattinagulapally in the city. She said periodical inspections were being made to check the maintenance of fire safety equipments. (INN)
2011/12/17 17:01:25 Director General Fire Services Department Ray Vinay Ranjan has warned that the Fire Department will put up a board saying “Fire Unsafe Building” in front of the hospitals, who have not initiated Fire Safety measures.
Addressing a meeting with the Andhra Pradesh Super Specialty Hospitals Association (ASHA) here on Saturday, Ranjan said that during inspections the department has found that most of the hospitals have been misusing the cellars by keeping generators or transformers. He said such a misuse was strictly prohibited under the law. He warned the hospitals of stern action if they do not stop the misuse of cellars.
The DG Fire Services directed the owners of the high rise hospitals to shift generators and transformers immediately and arrange for open areas for the safety of the patients. He also asked the hospital authorities to prepare an emergency plan along with roll allocation to the staff, to be followed in cases of emergency.
Ranjan said that the Fire Services Department was ready to guide the Architects on National Building Code (NBC).
GHMC Commissioner MT Krishna Babu asked the ASHA members to be committed for using cellars only for parking purposes. The hospital authorities should vacate the canteens, OP blocks, dormitories and pathological labs that have come up in cellars, within a week’s time, he said. After one week, he said that the GHMC would start vacating the cellars.
The Commissioner informed that out of 91 bigger hospitals in the GHMC the fire prevention wing have visited and inspected 23 bigger hospitals and all of them were using the cellar for other purposes.
The Commissioner asked the ASHA members to post a Fire Safety Officer in their respective hospitals to look after all the Fire Prevention arrangements and asked them to conduct mock drills once in a month with a proper record. He also asked them to involve GHMC/Fire Department once in a quarter for their mock drill. He also said that GHMC will organize for one day work shop for fire safety officers.
Additional Commissioner (Planning) K Dhanunjay Reddy, Director Fire Services P Venkateshwar, ASHA president Dr B Bhasker Rao and other senior officials were present in the meeting. (INN)
A huge fire accident takes place near Ananta Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Trivandrum where Rs.5 lakh-crores worth treasure was found in the secret rooms recently. The shops located in front of the temple somehow suddenly catch fire and according to latest reports huge explosions are taking place from the shops. Many of the shops sell Saris, Art Works, and other devotional items like statues, brass items etc. which are commonly seen near any famous temple. DGP of Police with his forces and fire brigades has rushed to the spot. So far, the exact reason for the fire is not known.
Tomorrow, a special committee consisting officials from Reserve bank of India, Archeology department and representatives of Trancore Kings family are arriving to Temple to take evaluation of the treasure found in the temple. Hence, this fire accident creates suspicions among the people about the safety of the treasure. People in large number have reached the location.
However, the DGP of Police has said that, they ensure full security for the temple and the treasure. In the wake of this fire accident, he once again inspected the three layered security provided to Temple.
2011/10/22 2:30:27 In view of the ensuing Deewali festive season, the South Central Railway has appealed to all its passengers not to carry inflammable substances or firecrackers in trains or in the Railway premises.
The SCR said that carrying of such items in trains or in stations pose grave safety threat and create a highly unsafe situation for all the passengers around. Any unintentional pressure applied on fire crackers or a small spark can lead to a big mishap with dire consequences. Hence, South Central Railway requests all rail users not to carry with them or as luggage / parcel any inflammable articles like Gas Cylinder, Petrol / Diesel / Kerosene, Stoves, Lantern, Matchboxes/Cigarette lighters, detonating substances apart from fire crackers.
As per section 67, 154, 164 and 165 of the Railways Act 1989, carrying inflammable and explosive articles on Railways is a punishable offence, with a punishment up to 3 years Jail or fine up to Rs 1000 or both, besides being liable for the loss/injury or damage caused.
In the interest of public safety and security, the SCR has appealed the passengers to be alert on this and in case they find anyone carrying fire crackers or other dangerous substances they may inform the nearest Railway official about the situation. (INN)
2007/11/21 10:09:00 After getting a big shock with the CAG report, the state government went on the defensive yesterday. But the government has now made a U turn and has now decided to brazen it out.
Ministers Rosiah and Ponnala have started claiming that the CAG report was only recommendatory in nature. They now say that it is not binding and that many of the facts and figures in the report are not correct and even misleading. Ponnala says that the new norms in the tender process have made the earlier norms redundant. The new norms have not been taken into account by CAG.
2011/12/10 18:52:50 Kolkata, Dec 10 (IANS) Angry Kolkatans hit the streets Saturday with protest demonstrations and silent marches as the AMRI Hospital fire tragedy toll rose to 91 while West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered a judicial probe into the worst fire tragedy in any hospital in India.
A day after the pre-dawn blaze broke out in the hospital's Annexe-1 building in upscale Dhakuria area leading to the deaths, mostly of sleeping patients, a lower court remanded seven directors of the high-cost medical facility in ten days' police custody.
'I have taken a decision to conduct a judicial probe which will run parallel to the inquiry under Joint Commissioner of Police (detective department) Damayanti Sen,' Banerjee told media persons at the state secretariat, Writers' Buildings.
With another injured succumbing in the hospital's main block adjacent to the fire-hit building, the death count has gone up to 91, the hospital said.
However, admitting a fresh goof-up, Advance Medicare Research Institute (popularly known as AMRI) senior vice president S. Upadhyay said in a statement that two of its nurses died in the incident. A day ago, he had said three nurses had perished.
The AMRI Hospital Annexe 1 Saturday stood like a ghost building with shards of glasses and stone slabs strewn all around, soot and blood stained floors, the smell of death and smoke still in the air and fire brigade personnel on guard -- a grim reminder of the tragedy.
The state government has already sealed and cancelled the licence of the Annexe 1 block of the hospital - co-founded by the private Emami and Shrachi Groups along with the state government in 1996.
The two other blocks, which usually bustle with patients, doctors, and their relatives and were untouched by the deadly fire, sported a deserted look with most of those admitted having been shifted elsewhere by their family members.
Meanwhile, Kolkata erupted in protest. It was a collective chorus of anger and shock as intellectuals, celebrities and commoners demanded exemplary punishment for the culprits and a mechanism to keep a tab on the working of private hospitals.
'The culprits should be given an exemplary punishment so that from next time, nobody even thinks of ignoring basic fire safety norms for saving some money,' fashion designer Agnimitra Paul told IANS.
'Punishment should be given but at the same time, the government should also prepare a mechanism to keep a tab on private hospitals who charge enormous amounts of money for treatment and that too by confusing people,' writer Sirshendu Mukhopadhay said.
Netizens poured out their anger on the social networking sites Facebook and Twitter.
'The Kolkata hospital fire just reinforces the fact that in India, while living gets expensive, life remains cheap,' Ajit tweeted.
The AMRI directors, arrested Friday for offences including culpable homicide not amounting to murder which attracts a maximum punishment of a jail term up to ten years and fine, were brought to the Alipore chief judicial magistrate's court under tight security. Hundreds of protestors outside the court premises demanded death penalty for them and lawyers vowed not to defend them.
The directors, including Shrachi Group chairman S.K. Todi and his counterpart in the Emami Group R.S. Goenka, were sent to ten days in police remand by CJM S.M. Shahnawaz Khan.
One of the seven directors, R.S. Agarwal, who was admitted to a private hospital Friday evening, could not be presented before the court. He is placed under arrest in the hospital.
Accusing the hospital authorities of recklessness, government counsel Kalyan Bandopadhyay later told reporters: 'The directors had deliberately switched off the fire alarms and locked the exit doors. They had blatantly violated fire safety norms.'
Over 1,500 people - comprising doctors, nurses, healthcare staff, school and college children, social activists other professionals and pedestrians - walked silently hand in hand carrying aloft posters and banners with black borders from Golpark to the hospital about half a km away.
'Aar noi, AMRI-r moto PPP Model hospital (No more PPP model hospital like AMRI)', 'They give us life for their own interest, they took our lives for the same interest, now it is your choice' - said some of the posters and banners.
The state government constituted two panels to check safety measures in the city buildings. Fire Minister Javed Khan said notices will be issued to those flouting the fire safety norms.
But amidst all these activities, the dead were not forgotten. Many citizens went near the hospital, lighting candles and leaving bouquets and garlands to pay heir respect to the souls who had died a painful and slow death.
A major fire Thursday engulfed an administrative building in Mumbai's Naval Dockyard. The fire brigade said its personnel officers were working towards controlling the blaze.
"We have rushed around 13 tankers and fire engines to the spot and our officers are trying to control it," a fire official said.
Said to be a heritage building, the structure is located near the Lion Gate in Colaba in south Mumbai.
2012/3/10 6:46:11 A nine-year-old girl was killed and two others suffered serious injuries when a hut dwelling caught fire in Sai Nagar of Nagole near LB Nagar on Saturday.
The deceased has been identified as Sandhya. According to police, about 200 huts belonging to daily wage labourers were completely burnt in the fire. One hut has reportedly caught fire and soon it spread to other huts turning them into ashes. The exact cause of fire was not yet known. The injured have been shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment. (INN)
2011/12/19 17:00:25 Properties worth several lakhs of rupees were gutted in a major fire that broke out in a commercial complex on Road No 12, Banjara Hills here on Monday evening.
The fire broke out at about 7 pm on the Lighting Palace, which used to sell high-end lighting items, located on the first floor of the two-storeyed commercial complex. The fire is believed to have started due to a short circuit followed by some sparks which fell on the carpet and sofas. Soon the fire spread to the first floor and later spread to second floor which housed the Raj Travels World.
Five people including the owner of Lighting Palace, Jyothi, escaped miraculously after trying in vain to extinguish the fire. It took nearly one hour for the first fire tender from the Jubilee Hills Fire Station to reach the spot. It appeared that the fire department personnel did not came prepared to extinguish a major fire. In less than 15 minutes, the fire tender's tanker fell empty. Two more fire tenders reached the location after about half-an-hour.
After a struggle of more than one hour, the Fire Department extinguished the fire. However, early arrival of fire tenders could have minimised the damage. Surprisingly, the OB vans of television news channels reached the spot even before the police or the fire tenders.
The fire accident also led to a major traffic jam on the Banjara Hills, Masab Tank and Mehdipatnam roads for nearly two hours.
Several senior police officials reached the spot and started investigations into the causes of fire. The approximate loss due to the property due to fire is yet to be estimated. However, the officials say that the losses could be huge. (INN)
2011/11/24 8:57:17 In a major fire mishap, 100 transformers were burnt at the Transco power sub-station at Gunadala here on Thursday.
The mishap is believed to have occurred due to short circuit in a transformer which supplies power to the sub-station. Due to the presence of dry grass and trees in the sub-station, the fire spread instantly and other transformers, which were brought for repairs, in the sub-station also caught fire.
It took more than three hours for several fire tenders from Gunadala and Vijayawada to extinguish the fire. The officials said that at least 100 transformers were completely burnt in the mishap. The loss to the property is yet to be ascertained. However, the officials said the loss may be of several lakhs of rupees. (INN)
Unknown miscreants set fire to two bogies of the Manuguru passenger today. The miscreants first set fire to the last bogie of the train by sprinkling petrol and setting it alight.
The fire spread to the second bogie too. Both the bogies have been burnt down completely. The passengers got down from the bogies just before they were set on fire and so there were no causalities.
It is not clear if this was the handiwork of some T agitators.
2011/9/18 17:32:53 Property worth several lakhs was gutted in the fire that broke out in the commercial centre of Abids here on Sunday.
According to Abids police, fire is suspected to have broken out in the shop-cum-godown of Puja Shree Arts, Alumuminium Fabrication Shop located opposite Jaya International Hotel near Abids crossroads at around 1.20 pm on Sunday.
Soon the fire spread to other adjoining shops of spectacles. The Abids police along with some local shop-keepers tried to minimise the damage by removing some material from them. However, the fire continued to spread and gained intensity. Meanwhile, as many as six fire tenders rushed to the spot. After a struggle for about three years, the fire workers extinguished the fire.
Abids Police suspect short circuit to be the cause of fire. However, a case has been registered and further investigations are on. (INN)
Forest Minister to visit Tirupati to monitor forest fire probe
2012/4/20 3:22:51 Hyderabad, April 20 (INN): Forest Minister S Vijayrama Raju on Friday said that he would personally visit Tirupati to enquire about the fire in Seshachalam forests.
Talking to reporters at the State Secretariat, the Forest Minister said that the forests in Tirupati catch fire during almost every summer. He said a specific grass that exists in the forests was primarily responsible for the fire. However, he said he would personally monitor the probe that has been ordered in the fire incident.
Vijayarama Raju said that some wild animals were feared dead in the forests. However, he said he could neither confirm nor deny the reports and would be able to make a statement only after visiting Tirupati.
It may be mentioned that a minor fire that started near the Elephant Arch and Narasimha Swamy Temple on Wednesday night has engulfed about 500 acres of Seshachalam forest land in the area. Several fire tenders have been pressed into service and officials of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam and district administration have been making efforts to douse the fire. TTD chairman K Bapiraju and other officials visited the place and supervised the fire-fighting operations.
2011/12/28 2:47:22 Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Tuesday directed the East Godavari Collector M Ravichandra to provide immediate relief and financial assistance to fire victims of Mayapatnam village.
Pithapuram MLA Vanga Geetha spoke to the Chief Minister and requested him to provide relief to the fire victims. The Chief Minister asked the district collector to get the losses enumerated and also to extend permanent assistance to the fire victims. It is estimated that more than 150 houses have been gutted in the fire mishap. (INN)
New Delhi, Oct 14 (IANS) A fire broke out on the sets of Star Plus-show "Diya Aur Bati Hum" while the cast and crew were shooting for a diwali sequence.
"The crew was shooting the Diwali sequence and as part of it crackers were being burst. A flower pot caught fire and no one realised as the black screen that was made for the shoot was at a lower level," said a source from the sets.
"The sparks went so high up that the cloth caught fire. Initially, the fire was unnoticeable but when the smoke started spreading everyone was frightened and left the set," the source added.
Actor Anas Rashid, who plays the lead, says he is relieved nothing major happened.
"It was not a major thing, but a small fire. We all ran out of the set when we saw the fire and the shoot came to a standstill for some time. But everything was fine after some time," said Rashid.
The State Government on Thursday admitted that the number of fire station, vehicles and strength of staff were not in accordance with the norms of fire services in the State, particularly in twin cities.
Home Minister P Sabitha Indira Reddy on Friday informed the State Legislative Assembly that the State Government has taken safety measures for the prevention of fire accidents in corporate hospitals.
Director General Fire Services Department Ray Vinay Ranjan has warned that the Fire Department will put up a board saying “Fire Unsafe Building” in front of the hospitals, who have not initiated Fire Safety measures.
Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Tuesday directed the East Godavari Collector M Ravichandra to provide immediate relief and financial assistance to fire victims of Mayapatnam village. 
