VASCO: Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) Chairman Carlos Almeida on Friday claimed that the fire incident at Panjim KTC bus stand could have been averted if the fire department had not kept the KTC in the dark about non-compliance of fire department recommendations by the supermarket.
According to Almeida, the fire station officials had inspected the shops at Panjim bus stand about 15 days before the fire incident.
He said during inspection, the team of fire officials noticed that the supermarket some other shops were operating without a NOC from the fire department and that the fire department had even issued notice to the shop owners in this regard.
He claimed that KTC being the principal owner of the Panjim bus stand complex, fire department failed to intimate KTC or to mark the copy of notice served to shops.
“If they (fire department) had marked a copy of the notice served to the shops to the KTC, we would have taken cognisance of the same by initiating action against the shopkeepers. If required, we would have even sealed the premises for non-compliance of fire safety,” Almeida said.
“As per standard procedure we only ask the occupier of our premises to obtain trade licence from the local body. In the case of shops at Panjim KTC stand we had asked shops to obtain trade licence from CCP. Before obtaining trade licence one has to obtain different NOCs including NOC from fire department. Now, before issuing trade licence the licensing authority should have checked whether all safety measures have been taken or not”, he said.
