Prayagraj: Taking cue of recent Kaushambi illegal firecracker explosion case that claimed 14 lives and left three others injured, top officials of the fire department have issued fire safety guidelines that are must to be followed by vendors setting up permanent \ temporary firecrackers selling shops as well as firecrackers manufacturing units ahead of Dusshera and Diwali festivals.Those licensed units taking up firecrackers manufacturing must follow five safety points guidelines as per the Explosive Act 2008. For crackers manufacturing, building must have separate units for mixing & filling, manufacturing & processing, blast ball, drying platform and transit building.For the permanent fireselling crackers shops, a 10 points fire security guidelines has been issued with the norms that permanent shop must be located on ground floor with 5×5 square meters, not in residential area, no open electric wiring, emergency exit , and must have at least two DCP fire extinguishers along with 100 litre water storage.More importantly, the storage of firecrackers must as per the licensing capacity and all fire safety guidelines must be adhered.Besides, fire department officials have also issued a seven-point fire safety guidelines mandatory to be followed by vendors and traders who have got temporary licence for firecrackers shops in the city for Diwali.As per the guidelines, the shops will be set up under a tin-shed or asbestos sheet (not using tents or cloth) and maintain a distance of at least three metres between two shops. Besides, there should not be more than 50 temporary firecracker shops at a spot ( far away from residential colonies, educational institutes, cinema halls, auditoriums, hospitals, markets, shops, factories, railway lines, highways, and religious places). No shop will be allowed under high-tension wire lines.Importantly, two firecracker shops should not be set up opposite each other, and only green crackers will be allowed for sale.The shopkeepers are advised not to use gas or oil lamps, and ensure there should be no loose wire connections. No one will be allowed to exhibit or light firecrackers within at least 50 metres of the shops.All firecracker-selling shops will be under no-smoking zones. Moreover, parking of vehicles should be at least 15-20 metres away from the shops. Each shopkeeper must ensure availability of around 50 litres of water in a drum along with 2 DCP extinguishers at the shop. Besides, each shop should have an adequate stock of firefighting equipment, including at least sacks full of dry sand.Guidelines also made it clear that competent authority must identify safe spots for firecrackers selling with adequate facilities of water supply. All the fire hydrants, and overhead tanks must be in functional mode and a training should be imparted to employees \ labourers engaged in firecrackers manufacturing, selling and storage to handle fire fighting equipment properly.
