SAFETY MATTERS: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy along with Home Minister K. Jana Reddy and Vijay Shankar, Chairman of the Standing Fire Advisory Council, in Hyderabad on Thursday. DGP Swaranjit Sen is also seen.

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy sounded a word of caution to authorities in granting permission to multiplexes to avoid fire mishaps. At the same time, he has asked them not to harass applicants. A single window approach could be adopted to clear applications and steps taken to guard against fire accidents in permitted buildings, he said after inaugurating the 31st standing fire advisory council meeting here on Thursday.

He also launched fire clearance for high-rise buildings through eSeva on the occasion.

Dr. Reddy said that the Government was concerned about loss of life and property in fire accidents. The last decade saw 1,382 persons being killed and property worth Rs. 963 crores destroyed in 1.62 lakh accidents in the State.

Remedial action

The Government had initiated remedial action for non-compliance of statutory provisions of fire safety, besides fixing accountability on authorities concerned.

Home Minister K. Jana Reddy said 25 new fire stations sanctioned in the State were likely to function shortly.

Besides upgrading the fire stations in the city, Vijayawada, Visakhaptnam and Tirupati, the Government decided to set up fire stations in 68 Assembly constituencies that did not have even a single station.

The incidence of fire went down by 10 per cent and loss of life in fire accidents by 13 per cent last year, he added.

Vijay Shankar, Director-General, National Emergency Response Force and Civil Defence, and Chairman of the council, said there were only 1,745 fire stations out of the required 70,000-odd stations in the country. The shortage of stations was 97.54 per cent and firemen 96.28 per cent.

Director-General of Police Swaranjit Sen, Principal Home Secretary A.K. Srivastava, and Director-General of Fire Service Alok Srivastava were present.

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