State, BMC quick to set up panels, rarely follow advice : The Times of India

Mumbai : Six Blazes Later, Barely One Recommendation Implemented

While firemen are risking their lives to save Mumbaikars, the planners do not seem to have woken up to the urgency of implementing probe panel recommendations. The last three years have seen at least six major fires and panels have been set up after every such incident. Except for the recent Kalbadevi inquiry panel's recommendation, none of the recommendations of the earlier panels were implemented. These include even simple suggestions like action against buildings flouting basic fire norms and having mini fire stations.

Milind Mhaske, project director at NGO Praja, said one can't blame the fire brigade for this as implementation of recommendations need to be done at the senior bureaucrat level.“The BMC's bureaucrats are not connected to the city and its demands, therefore there is no seriousness in implementing recommendations of panel reports. While committees are set up promptly after an incident, the administration goes slow in implementing their suggestions,“ said Mhaske.

On Tuesday , a five-member expert committee was set up to formulate a standard operating procedure for various activities of the fire brigade. The panel will comprise members like the fire advisor to the government, director, Maharashtra Fire Services and chief fire officer of the Mumbai Fire Brigade. This was one of the recommendations of the panel probing the Kalbadevi blaze. The panel has to present its report in three months.

Corporators have questioned the need for setting up panels. Congress corporator Asif Zakaria said there are not many proposals before the standing committee with regard to the fire department.“No one will oppose a proposal for fire safety. The fire department's upgrade doesn't seem to be on the civic administration's agenda,“ said Zakaria.

TIMES VIEW:

We have repeatedly said there's no use having panels and getting them to submit recommendations if they will never be followed. The setting up of panels, in that case, becomes a waste of time and money from the public exchequer. The number of serious incidents the city has seen in the last few years qualifies Mumbai as extremely fire-prone (which may be because of a number of reasons). If tragedies like the Powai fire fail to wake up government agencies to the seriousness of the problem, nothing will!