Chandigarh top brass functions from secretariat sans fire clearance
The fire no-objection certificate (NOC) certifies that a building or facility has implemented the necessary measures to prevent and manage fire incidents. The certificate is issued by the fire department, which comes under the municipal corporation.
The UT administration, which should be leading by example, is itself setting the wrong precedent as its new secretariat building in Sector 9, which houses the offices of the adviser and other top bureaucrats, has been operating without a fire safety clearance since its inauguration in 2022.
Ironically, when it comes to violations by private individuals, the UT takes a strict note.
The fire no-objection certificate (NOC) certifies that a building or facility has implemented the necessary measures to prevent and manage fire incidents. The certificate is issued by the fire department, which comes under the municipal corporation.
Sector 17 fire station officer, Lal Bahadur Gautam, said the administration had applied for the NOC about a year ago, but there were several shortcomings, which was duly communicated to them.
UT chief engineer CB Ojha could not be contacted for comments despite repeated attempts.
Located on 2.63 acres, the ₹80 crore building is Chandigarh’s first five-star-rated green building, housing various offices, a multipurpose hall, conference room, gym, post office, and parking for 200 vehicles. It was inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu in October 2022.
Federation of Sectors’ Welfare Association (FOSWAC) chairperson Baljinder Singh Bittu said, “What makes this lapse particularly glaring is the fact that the UT administrator visits the building twice a week as part of the official schedule. The safety of the city’s first citizen is compromised, as is that of the general public who visit the building regularly. Wednesday is designated as the day for the public to meet with the officers.”