Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Urban Administration and Development (UAD) department is leaving no stone unturned to get the draft of the Fire Safety Bill approved so that it can be tabled in the upcoming Winter Session of the Assembly. The plan to table the bill in the Monsoon Session could not materialize, and so the authorities are now eyeing the upcoming session to secure the nod of the House.
The draft of bill was prepared long back but department is pondering to make some necessary amendments to make it more effective. The provision of draft bill vouches to put effective checks on the fire incidents and to fix liabilities with penalty provisions.
“ The draft of Fire Safety Bill has been sent to principal secretary for consideration and after his approval, it will be sent to Senior Secretary Committee to get the necessary sanction. Thereafter it will be sent to cabinet and then the government will table in the Assembly,” said a senior officials of the department in know of the development related to the bill. The state currently doesn’t have a fire safety Act. In 2022, when a fire had engulfed a private hospital in Jabalpur the then home minister Bhupendra Singh had directed UAD to prepare a fire safety bill. Since then the things have been moving at snail’s pace.
Bill envisages
The Fire Safety Bill seeks to establish one fire and emergency service for the entire state, constitution and classification of fire and appointment of fire and emergency services, setting up of the fire stations, auxiliary fire and emergency services etc.
The bill also envisages for response to calls, operation management, preventive measures, penalties for violation of duty and levy of fire tax etc. Fire officer will be appointed for every fire station. It also vouches for arrest of the person who hinders the fire and emergency service. The bill was prepared after studying the best practices of fire safety rules of some other states.
