Lok Sabha Question No. 3748 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-22
Subject: Fire Safety Measures
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: RAJENDRA AGRAWAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3748

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 22 ND  DECEMBER, 2015/PAUSHA 1, 1937 (SAKA)

FIRE SAFETY MEASURES

3748.   SHRI RAJENDRA AGRAWAL:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether incidents of fire accidents are on the rise in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the total number of such cases reported, persons  died/injured  during  each  of  the  last  three  years  and  the  current year, State-wise;
- (c) whether all schools, hospitals, commercial buildings, housing societies are  adhering  to  all  guidelines  of  fire  safety  and  having  all  the  safety equipment  necessary  to  take  immediate  corrective  steps  during  fire incidents;
- (d)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  if  not,  the  reasons  therefor,  State-wise including Uttar Pradesh; and
- (e)  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  implementation  of prescribed guidelines of fire safety by all institutions in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a) to (e): The Fire Services have been included as a Municipal Function in the XII th  Schedule of the Constitution of India Article 243 (W). As such, it is the primary responsibility of the State Governments to ensure safety of life and property of the citizens in the area of their jurisdiction. The Directorate General (Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards), Ministry of Home Affairs does not collect and maintain data of the Fire Incidents occurred in the States. According to the report published by the National Crime Record Bureau  for  the  years  2013  and  2014,  there  is  a  12%  decline  in  accidental deaths  due  to  fire  and  related  accidents.  In  2013  and  2014,  the  total numbers of deaths reported were 22177 and 19513 respectively.

The Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs has constituted Standing Fire Advisory Council which meets time to time to examine the problems of Fire Services in the country and recommend suitable measures to upgrade the Standards of Fire Services  including special  equipment for firefighting and rescue in schools, hospitals, commercial buildings, housing societies. Standing Fire Advisory Council also recommended to implement fire safety provisions prescribed in the National Building Code of India.

The  National  Building  Code  of  India  covers  the  detailed  guidelines  for construction, maintenance and fire safety of  structures  including schools, hospitals,  commercial  buildings,  housing  societies.  The  National  Building Code  of  India  is  published  by  Bureau  of  Indian  Standards  and  it  is  a recommendatory  document.  Guidelines  were  issued  to  the  States to incorporate the recommendations of National Building Code into their local building bye-laws for fire and life safety. The implementation and enforcement of these Standard Codes and guidelines is purely the responsibility of State Governments.

The  National  Disaster  Management  Authority  has  also  issued  guidelines during  April,  2012  with  the  objective  of  standardizing  scaling/  type  of equipment and training of man power to modernize and improve fire fighting capabilities in the country

The  Directorate  General  (Fire  Services,  Civil  Defence  and  Home  Guards) issued advisories to the State Governments to prevent the recurrence of fire accidents like Mumbai Mantralaya, AMRI hospitals, Kolkata etc.

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