90 per cent of builders violating fire safety norms: Khan

Vijayawada, Mar 2 (UNI) About 90 per cent of the builders in the state were violating the fire safety norms while constructing multi-storyed buildings and the fire service has decided to take stringent action against them, state fire service Director-General A K Khan said today.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Khan said the fire service department had inspected over 4,000 high-rise construction buildings in Andhra Pradesh and found out that only ten per cent of builders have obtained No Objection Certificate (NOC) from fire service department from 1981 to 2003. Only 39 per cent of them constructed their buildings as per the guidelines and norms prescribed by the fire service.

Mr Khan said Andhra Pradesh High Court had given suitable orders for obtaining the NOC during the construction and asked the municipal authorities not to give approval without the NOC.

He also said the department was facing shortage of manpower and equipment to handle fire mishaps and prevent loss of life and property.

However, the department has started recruiting of personnel after a gap of 13 years, he said.

UNI