The explosions, which occurred after a fire broke out in the factory, have highlighted widespread non-compliance with fire safety regulations in the industrial belts of Daulatabad, Kadipur, and Basai
Five days after a series of explosions killed five people and critically injured 11 others at a factory manufacturing fire extinguisher balls, serious concerns have emerged about fire safety standards in Daulatabad’s industrial area. Fire department officials revealed on Wednesday that only 28 out of nearly 400 units have obtained the required No Objection Certificate (NOC) for fire safety.
The explosions, which occurred after a fire broke out in the factory, have highlighted widespread non-compliance with fire safety regulations in the industrial belts of Daulatabad, Kadipur, and Basai. Despite repeated visits and warnings, many industries have not applied for the mandatory NOC, putting both workers and nearby residents at risk.
“Many of these industries are operating without an approved building plan, which is necessary for obtaining the fire NOC,” said Gulshan Kalra, deputy director (technical) of Haryana fire services. Kalra, who also oversees the Sector 29 fire station, noted that the absence of approved building plans is a significant barrier to acquiring fire safety certification.
The Daulatabad industrial area, spanning six acres, is home to almost 400 industries. Without a fire safety NOC, factory owners cannot get their building plans approved. In the event of a fire, the companies operating without these approvals would be held responsible, officials said.
Caught in bureaucratic red tape, many industrialists are struggling to convince the fire department that their plots are located outside the R-Zone (residential zone). Members of the Daulatabad industrial association claim that despite approaching various departments and even the chief minister, their issues remain unresolved.
In July 2021, former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar directed the Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) to clearly identify industrial and residential areas in the development plan of Daulatabad. However, little progress has been made since then.
Pawan Kumar Jindal, president of the area’s industrial association, pointed out that 350 industrial units have been operating in the area since 1962. “Till 2016, industrial building plans were approved by the city council and MCG. After that, MCG stopped giving approval after the government declared it an R-Zone,” Jindal said. He listed three main obstacles to obtaining fire NOCs: the requirement for plots to be at least 500 square yards, the lack of approved building plans, and the MCG’s refusal to issue NOCs despite the payment of property taxes.
Officials explained that the area was designated as a residential zone in the 1994 development plan. Only the Urban Local Bodies department can give approval for buildings in residential areas, leading to a halt in approvals for industrial units.
Fire officials, unaware of these technicalities, stated they would consider NOC applications only if accompanied by documents proving that the unit is outside the R-Zone. “The industrialists can attach documents with their NOC applications,” Kalra added.
This recent tragedy underscores the urgent need for regulatory clarity and compliance to ensure the safety of industrial workers and nearby communities.
