Delhi Fire Service has upped the ante in its face-off with the managing committee of East End Apartments. Three days after ordering BSES to disconnect power supply, the fire safety regulators today threatened that they could even order disconnection of water supply if the society, despite reminders, failed to comply with the prescribed safety norms.
SK Dua, Divisional Officer of Delhi Fire Service, told City Spidey that it is mandatory for the RWA to comply with fire safety norms. He said, “If they fail to do so, the supply of power and even water may be disconnected any time.”
The crisis deepened as the much-anticipated meeting between Delhi Fire Service officials and members of the managing committee failed to take place today. The office bearers of the RWA, which included the president, waited in vain in their office as fire safety officers failed to turn up.
City Spidey has learnt that for some fire officials, the face-off has become a prestige issue. They expected the managing committee members to turn up in the office of Delhi Fire Service with their explanation rather than waiting in their own RWA office. The RWA members, after waiting for hours in their own office, cancelled the meeting.
BK Singh, the president of the RWA, putting up a brave front, claimed that the society’s fire fighting equipment is in working condition. He told City Spidey that the society has a total of 50 fire extinguishers, and overhead water tanks with a capacity of holding over one lakh litre of water. Besides, its underground water tank can hold six lakh litres. He said, “All these systems are completely functional and can be used effectively in case fire breaks out.”
Singh said Delhi Fire Service served a notice to the society as its office bearers were not available in the RWA office. He said the resident association has now taken the concerns of fire officials seriously and are willing to initiate any action that is required to rectify the situation. The RWA has also written to the Delhi Fire Service urging their officials to revisit the society for an inspection.
East End Apartments is one of the oldest group housing societies in Mayur Vihar Phase-I extension. It has over 1,300 flats housing about 5,000 residents.
Vipin Kental, Chief Fire Officer, Delhi Fire Service, told City Spidey that though showcause notices were served on the society over a year ago, it has failed to comply with fire safety norms. He said the department followed up on the notices and his officers visited the society to inspect the progress and returned dissatisfied.
He expressed concern that despite repeated visits, the residents have not taken the issue seriously. They have not made any changes and the fire equipment is in non-functional condition.
Another officer on the condition of anonymity told City Spidey that there were gross violations of fire safety norms in the society. The society has four gates but only two gates are kept open. Of the two gates, fire tenders can enter only from one gate, ie the main gate of the society, which is labelled Gate No 1. He said when a fire broke out in the society a fortnight ago, the fire tenders landed up at Gate No 2 of the society only to find the approach too narrow to enter.
The Delhi Fire Service officials are also concerned that there are rampant violations and changes in the building plans of the society. He said residents have illegally occupied open areas and grounds. Ground floor residents, particularly, have encroached upon land and some of them have even set up structures and offices.
The managing committee itself has violated norms by allowing the setting up of a recreation centre for senior citizens of the apartment. The officer said that once the building is ready, residents should leave things as it is. But in the case of East End Apartments, residents have installed wooden offices and have not left enough spaces beside the main switch boards.
Narsimhan Rao, a resident of the apartment, told City Spidey that some time ago he had given a letter to the Fire Service Department with representation of 1,800 residents urging the fire department to act against the violators.
