State Urban Development and Housing Minister Bhupendra Singh has said that at present the practice of giving provisional fire NOC by the Fire Authority for one year is in practice, which is not proper.

Instead, after the completion of the construction of the building, while giving the completion certificate, fire NOC should be issued by the fire authority after inspecting the building.

He has given instructions to the Principal Secretary Urban Development and Housing to issue necessary orders in this regard.

Minister Singh has directed that the Fire Fighting Act should be prepared in a month, so that the Act can be presented for passing in the upcoming Vidhan Sabha session.

He said that at present the Fire Fighting Act is not applicable in the state. Due to this, many discrepancies are being created in the field of fire fighting.

It is worth mentioning that in the Land Development Rules, the Commissioner of Municipal Corporations and Divisional Joint Director Urban Administration have been declared as Fire Authority for urban areas, District Collectors in rural areas and Chief Executive Officer Cantonment Board for the concerned area.

The State government decision came in wake of 8 persons including patients killed in a private hospital in Jabalpur in fire incident a couple of days back.