NAGPUR: How safe is your child in school? At least from fire safety point of view, there is a cause for worry. In this respect, most schools, from the snooty ones to municipal ones, are the same. They all have been flouting fire safety norms for years and getting away with it.
Fire Brigade sources said that most schools start with a "temporary"No Objection Certificate on an understanding that they would install the necessary equipment within one year. Shockingly, not a single educational institute has approached the Fire Brigade with compliance report for getting a permanent NOC.
"Most schools are interested in just admitting more children in schools, they are not bothered about providing a safe environment for them. Running schools in closed spaces and in busy marketplaces could cause the worst accidents," a fire official said.
"The school managements always think of money but not of children’s safety," he pointed out. "When we deny NOC to any school or college because they do not have adequate fire safety measures, they bring political pressure on us. We then have no option but to provide a temporary NOC (for a period of one-year)," he claimed. Many of the educational institutes in the city are owned or backed by politicians.
"The accident in a school in Kumbakonam (Tamil Nadu) where some 90 children were charred to death some years ago is a grim reminder of the state of affairs and showed how vulnerable school buildings are," the officer pointed out.
Sources admitted that NMC too was to blame. Over 20 of its own school buildings were in dilapidated condition and thus a safety hazard by themselves. A senior officer pointed out most highrise buildings of schools were not at all safe. Citing an example, the officer pointed out that a renowned school on Koradi road failed to follow fire safety norms in its building. However, when the department refused to permit NOC, the school used political pressure and got it.
Even the buildings of newer schools, which should have all the equipment, lack minimum facilities. Often there is no proper ventilation, no fire extinguisher, and most importantly no proper exit points to rush out during emergency. These factors can be critical in determine whether occupants come out safely during a fire emergency or get trapped inside.
What is worse is that many schools are now opening branches outside the corporation limits where even preliminary checking does not exist. They come under gram panchayats which have no intention or capability to check fire safety norms.
According to Incharge Chief Fire Officer Chandrashekhar Jadhav, barring a handful, none of the 800 schools, 200 junior colleges and around 200 undergraduate and post-graduate colleges, in the city do not have proper fire fighting equipment.
Many do not conduct safety drills so that students know how to leave the building in an orderly manner in emergency. Moreover, education department also does not bother to check reality while granting permission to start a new school. It should strictly adhere to the rules while extending recognition to schools, Jadhav said.
Govind Nandede, deputy director of education (Nagpur division), said that the department had already instructed all schools not only in the city but in the entire Nagpur division to follow all safety norms strictly.
"If any institution fails to adhere the norm, strict action like de-recognition of the particular institute will be taken," he added. However, he could not explain why recognition had not been withdrawn even in a single case.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Nagpur/Schools_violating_safety_norms/articleshow/3481278.cms
