HYDERABAD: Blatant disregard for law by hotel management and negligence on the part of law enforcing authorities have come to the fore once again as an important reason behind the fire accident at Hotel Katriya.
Tuesday’s fire accident was not the first on the same premises. In 2013, there was a similar incident due to electrical short circuit after which the fire department had ordered the hotel to put the required fire extinguishing systems in place and obtain a ‘No Objection Certificate’ which was not adhered to by the hotel.
Moreover, when the fire department officials entered the hotel to extinguish the fire, they found that the fire extinguishing system in hotel, including sprinklers, were non-operational.
The officials at state disaster response and fires services claimed ignorance of the fact that the hotel continued to function without a NOC. All hotels in Hyderabad are expected to obtain permission from the police for functioning, for which various documents need to be produced, one of which is NOC from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation’s Fire wing or the Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services Department, depending on the height of the building.
Rajiv Ratan, director general of Telangana State Disaster Response and Fire Services Department, said, “Prosecution will be launched against owner of the hotel under Telangana Fire Service Act, 1999 which will result in an imprisonment of three months and a minimum of one month along with imposing of fine. The hotel cannot operate without NOC and will be closed until safe for human habitation. We will communicate to licensing authorities to close the building.”
As per law any commercial building above 15 meters should obtain NOC from fire department. Katriya Hotel is a nine floor building and has function hall in the basement. It can be recalled that in 2014, a fire accident occurred in Paradise hotel. The fire had emanated in the hotel’s chimney. After the mishap GHMC had sealed the hotel for not possessing a NOC from fire department.