Kasaragod Schools Lack Fire Safety: RTI Reveals Fire & Rescue Dept Neglect

Fire and Safety Department’s Neglect of Minimum Fire Safety Standards in Kasaragod Schools Revealed through RTI

Despite conducting well-publicized mock drills, the Fire and Safety Department has failed to ensure “minimum fire safety standards” in educational institutions, as per recent findings from an RTI inquiry. Astonishingly, the department doesn’t even have a comprehensive list of schools under its jurisdiction.

Back in March 2016, the Director General of Fire and Rescue Service, Loknath Behera, issued a circular consisting of 36 points aimed at enforcing minimum fire safety standards in schools and colleges. The circular mandated compliance within 30 days, threatening further action if ignored. However, a current RTI response from the Kasaragod Fire Officer confirms that data on educational institutions adhering to these safety standards is still being compiled.

M.V. Shilparaj, a dedicated MSW student from Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, was responsible for uncovering this alarming situation. Armed with RTI queries, Shilparaj discovered a lack of fire safety measures in numerous schools and colleges. His journey began when he noticed an expired fire extinguisher at Kannur Medical College and took immediate action, reporting the violation.

Seeking more comprehensive information, Shilparaj sent an RTI query to the Fire and Rescue headquarters, inquiring about compliance with minimum fire safety standards across all educational institutes in the state. In response, the headquarters mentioned the existence of safety requirements in the National Building Code of India 2016, but no specific instructions regarding fire extinguishers were issued, disregarding the 2016 circular’s guidelines.

In June, Shilparaj was directed to reach out to the 14 district fire officers for further details on fire safety in schools. However, due to financial constraints, he focused on his home district, Kasaragod. In the subsequent RTI response, the District Fire Officer confirmed a lack of data on schools under certain fire stations and an absence of fire safety assurance.

Following Shilparaj’s initiative, the Kannur Regional Fire Officer urged the District Fire Officer to contact the district education officer to ensure compliance with minimum fire safety standards in schools. Nonetheless, Shilparaj asserted that the 2016 circular emphasized the Fire and Rescue officers’ responsibility to visit establishments and ensure the implementation of these standards.

The circular outlined various safety directions for educational institutions, including the maintenance of fire extinguishers with clear expiration dates, proper upkeep of hose reels and nozzles, functioning hydrant valves, and delivery hoses, as well as the operation and monitoring of fire pumps, automatic systems, and fire alarms. Additionally, it stressed the importance of fire safety awareness classes for students, preparation and display of emergency plans, and conducting periodic evacuation drills, with proper record-keeping.

These revelations highlight a disconcerting reality regarding fire safety measures in Kasaragod’s educational institutions, and call for immediate action to protect the lives of students and staff.