Market’s firefighting system inoperative, CCP passes buck

Panaji: Even three-and-a-half months after the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) was slapped with a notice, the firefighting system in the city’s market continues to be non-functional with none willing to take responsibility to fix the problem.While the CCP claims to have done its job by directing vendors to install fire extinguishers, the vendors say the cost of equipment is too high and that they need financial assistance.A CCP official said that on July 1, a notice was issued to all vendors and occupants of the market building in the city to install fire extinguishers in their respective shops by July 8.“We were all told to get a fire extinguisher by ourselves. The CCP gave us a deadline of a week.

It is not possible for us to arrange a fire extinguisher all by ourselves. It is too expensive,” said Sandeep Bhandare, a beverage vendor.In June, an audit conducted by the fire services found that the market’s firefighting system comprising fire hydrants, hose reels, water sprinklers and smoke extractors, was not working. The audit report was sent to the CCP with suggestions to replace all faulty equipment. But there’s been no action.

“We gave our recommendations to the CCP. It is their job to replace equipment that isn’t working,” a fire services official said.A CCP official said, “In accordance with law, a person who is in possession of a shop space is responsible for arranging a fire extinguisher. It is the shopkeeper’s duty to comply.”