No mobile tower has fire NOC: RTI

Times of India‎‎: Gurgaon: Wednesday, June 01, 2016.

In a shocking revelation, none of the around 600 mobile towers in the district have a no objection certificate (NOC) from the fire department. In fact, records at the fire department shows that no NOC has ever been applied by the telecom companies in Gurgaon.

As per Haryana Fire Services Act 2009, it is mandatory for any structure above 15 meters to have a Fire NOC otherwise the offence is punishable under Haryana Fire Services Act 2005. The responsibility to get the 'Fire NOC is on owner/occupier/beneficiary, as the case may be', says the act. However, the act does not mention the mobile towers, which gives the telecom companies an advantage. As a result, the fire department in Gurgaon has never received any such application.

The RTI had sought information for the list of the mobile towers which have been issued show cause notice for operating without fire NOC, details of the mobile towers which have obtained fire NOC after show cause notice was issued, adsress of the mobile towers which does not have the fire NOC.

A shocking reply reveals that 'no any fire NOC applied for mobile tower'. "I had sought information about mandated Fire NOC by mobile towers installed and operating in Gurgaon. But they are without any fire NOC and they are operating in the residential areas without any safety measures. They were already spreading radiation, and are a fire hazard too," said RTI activist Harinder Dhingra.

Sources from fire department told TOI that the mobile towers can be a major hazard in case of a big fire, and that there have been a few instances of minor fire and sparking in various parts of the day.

"There have never been any application by any of the mobile companies for the fire NOC. They have been fortunate so far because there have been no major accident. But in case there is a big fire or somebody gets electrocuted, then it will be a major problem for them too. Right now, we cannot initiate any action because, the act does not specifically mention and wait for them to apply," said I S Kashyap,fire safety officer.