Why is fire safety or even procuring a basic safety certificate from a municipal fire department such an effort for schools across the city?
Since 2016 the state has already adopted the school safety policy as directed by the National and state disaster management authority, but just 186 schools across Ahmedabad city—government aided and private —and coming under district administration have procured a fire safety certificate this year.
There are 2,535 schools that come under Ahmedabad district and city jurisdiction.
An RTI filed by Kalupur resident Pankaj Bhatt has revealed that between financial years 2014 and 2018 April, 416, 161, 407, 255 and 186 schools respectively have procured fire safety NOCs from the Ahmedabad fire department.
Procuring a fire safety certificate from a government agency is not just a bureaucratic requirement but a surety from a government agency to thousands of parents that their small children are going to a “safe” schools.
In fact, if you happen to visit the local district education office, school trustees have issued a ‘Bahendari’ or a one-line assurance certificate that there is fire safety system or the school conducts fire drills.
Many schools have submitted certificates issued by private agencies who are engaged by them for maintenance of fire equipment.
Date: May 29, 2018