HYDERABAD: The Telangana Recognised School Managements Association (TRSMA) has urged the state government to introduce separate and simplified fire safety regulations for recognised unaided private schools as part of the proposed amendments to the Telangana Fire Service Act, 1999.
In a representation submitted to the Director General of the Fire, Disaster Response, Emergency and Civil Defence department, the TRSMA said educational institutions should be classified separately from high-risk establishments such as industries, warehouses, hospitals, malls and other commercial occupancies.
The association sought exemption from stringent Fire NOC requirements for low-risk day schools, proposing that mandatory NOCs be limited to high-rise school buildings above 15 metres, as well as schools with hostel facilities. It also sought simplified norms for play schools, upper-primary schools and institutions with fewer than 500 students.
For existing recognised schools, the association proposed accepting self-certification by managements, along with structural and electrical safety certificates, instead of making a Fire Occupancy NOC compulsory.
The demands come as the Fire department is consulting educational institutions on fire safety compliance and proposed amendments to the 1999 Act. The department has also stressed the need for schools to maintain essential fire prevention, protection and life-safety measures.
The association called for affordable safety measures such as fire extinguishers, basic alarm systems, emergency evacuation arrangements, electrical safety checks and periodic evacuation drills, instead of expensive commercial-level systems.
TRSMA president Sadula Madhusudhan opposed making the appointment of a dedicated fire safety manager mandatory for schools. Instead, the association suggested designating a trained teacher or administrator as a safety coordinator.
