Ranchi/Bokaro: Nearly a week after a sweeping crackdown on fire safety violations, the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) and Bokaro administration have received zero applications from property owners for fire no-objection certificates (NOCs).The seven-day ultimatum, issued following a blaze at a Lucknow complex on June 22 that killed at least 15, ends on Thursday.RMC deputy municipal commissioner Ravindra Kumar, who issued the directive on June 25, said, “We still have not heard back from any property owner to whom this notice applied. Our teams will conduct an on-ground check and accordingly take action if fire NOC is not provided.”In Ranchi, the mandate covers all structures within municipal limits requiring clearances under the Jharkhand Building Bye-laws, 2016. High-risk commercial establishments, including multistorey buildings, educational institutions, hospitals, hotels and restaurants, are under strict scrutiny. Non-compliant buildings may be sealed besides strict legal prosecution.Initial inspections on June 23 highlighted rampant violations across Ranchi, prompting the RMC to issue the ultimatum.A similar scenario has emerged in Bokaro, where the local fire station is yet to receive a single submission despite a district administration directive issued a week ago. Fire station officer in-charge Bhagwan Ojha said that, despite clear instructions, no commercial establishment, coaching centre or hostel has submitted the NOC.Bokaro deputy commissioner Ajay Nath Jha, on June 25, ordered a comprehensive safety audit, directing subdivisional magistrates (SDMs) of Chas and Bermo, the director in-charge of Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL) and Chas Nagar Nigam to enforce strict compliance with the National Building Code (NBC). Officials were given a week to submit their reports.Bokaro township, managed by BSL, houses over 30 coaching centres, tutorials, libraries and hostels on allotted plots, all operating without valid fire clearances, sources said. Jha on Wednesday told TOI, “A review meeting will soon be held on the issue and necessary action will be taken.”BSL chief of communications Manikant Dhan said that a detailed notice was already circulated to all plot and shop allottees operating commercial ventures, but no response has been received so far.“The notice mandates strict compliance with NBC norms, functional fire safety equipment, valid fire NOC, proper evacuation routes, electrical safety standards, capacity restrictions and submission of an affidavit by July 11,” Dhan said.
Officers inspect fire safety equipment in Bokaro
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