Sakinaka firm may have flouted fire brigade safety regulations

Mumbai: The pressure dye casting unit in Sakinaka where a nitrogen cylinder burston Friday morning,killing five people, may not have had the mandatory licences and may have flouted safety rules prescribed by the fire brigade. 

    The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's shops & establishments department issues licences for small scale units, but the fire brigade's NOCis needed beforethat. 
    Among thefiresafety measures that a small unit must adhere to while operating are having cement and brick, and pressure-relief walls, periodic maintenance of machines and regular checkson electric wirings. But fire officials say these are nottaken seriously. 
    "The measures were flouted in the Sakinaka incident. We are trying to access records andseeif theowner had applied for permission," a senior civicofficialsaid. 
    With civic staff not working on account of the Good Friday holiday, it was difficult for officials to ascertain the extent and nature of violations. They will sift through the records on Saturday and only then decide on whether totake action againsttheowner. 
Harshad Kale, assistant municipal commissioner (L ward), said the BMC had raided such units and begun prosecuting owners. Deputy commissioner ofpolice (zone X) Mohankumar Dahikar said an FIR will be registered after the civic body and industry inspectors providetheir reportson theunit's violation of safety measures. 
THE PRICE OF HUMAN FOLLY 
RULES FOR SMALL ENTERPRISES 
Before setting up a small scale unit, the owner needs permits from the shops and establishments department, senior inspector of licenses and director of industries, and a no-objection certificate from the fire brigade 
    FIRE SAFETY NORMS FLOUTED 
An establishment with machines must have cement-and-brick and pressure relief walls, maintain machines periodically and conduct regular checks on electric wiring. Officials say these measures were not taken 
    PUNISHMENT 
The civic body can initiate prosecution against the owner. The maximum punishment is of two years with a fine of Rs5,000 CYLINDER BLASTS 
Mar 8, 2013 | Twelve people are injured after a gas cylinder filled with helium explodes at a scrap shop in Kandivli (West). The injured are mainly children from the vicinity who were playing near the shop and local residentsMay 30, 2012 | Four people are killed and 40 injured as a gas cylinder explodes in a bakery in Trombay. A portion of the building housing the bakery had collapsed after the explosion