Lax Implementation of Fire Safety Norms

Though no life was fortunately lost in the fire that engulfed the Mudpipe Café in Koramangala on Wednesday night, the tragedy has once again etched to relief the continued negligence of official machinery in checking compliances while issuing licenses or approvals.

News reports following the incident point out that the establishment had no license for running a hookah-bar. It had been permitted to carry on food catering alone.

BBMP officials must not have been unaware of the restaurant and hookah-bar that were being run from the premises which even lacked an alternative exit if any such eventuality were to occur.

Obviously, the corrupt officials of the BBMP, which is the licensing authority, must have been hand in glove with the hookah-bar operator.

Preliminary inquiry also reveals that the improvised structure on the fourth floor of the building had stored around a dozen LPG cylinders unscientifically and leakage of the gas from one among them led to the inferno.

As it usually happens, the authorities have now—following a visit by the Home Minister— ordered an audit of all such establishments in the city which are either operating illegally or are deficient in compliance with fire safety norms.

It is public knowledge that there is rampant violation of building codes. A majority of buildings have added unauthorized floors, do not provide ample space for access and movement of fire brigade vehicles if any mishap were to take place, either have no emergency exits or bar these exits with office junk, have dysfunctional hydrants and hardly ever conduct the fire drills and evacuation.

The officials wake up when such incidents happen and inquiries are ordered. Public memory being proverbially short, the tragedy is forgotten and then it is business as usual.

Only time will tell, if the Mudpipe Café fire will meet the same fate?