No lessons learnt from Sector-22 fire

The fire,caused due to a short-circuit,spread fast because of numerous violations in the building. Apart from a fresh coat of paint,not much has changed here ever since the tragic incident.

A visit to the building shows electricity wires still hanging loose,with several of them webbed at the back of showrooms. Every electricity pole in the area has numerous wires hanging from all sides.

However,this is not an isolated case. Similar conditions prevail in other markets — shopowners have made partitions in the shops and balconies have been covered and are being used to store goods.

Such violations go unchecked in the Shastri Market in Sector 22,Palika Market in Sector 19 and Rehri Market in Sector 15. In these markets,small eateries with gas cylinders are scattered around and commercial activity goes unchecked in basements.

During the fire in Sector-22 market,fire tenders found it difficult to reach the building due to the chaotic parking in the area. There hasn’t been much improvement in this area either. Though the Municipal Corporation has earmarked areas for fire tenders in parking lots of markets,vehicles continue to be parked in a haphazard manner.

Recently,the MC had issued around 500 notices to government schools,hospitals and markets for violating fire safety norms.

“We are awaiting a reply to these notices,following which inspection of these buildings will be conducted. In case of violations,strict action will be taken,” Additional Commissioner P K Sharma said.