Fire NOC: Vasco residents kept in the wait

Residents complain that they have to wait for a month to get an NOC from the Vasco Fire and Emergency Services, while officials admit that they are not authorised as these documents are issued at Panjim
There seems to be no urgency felt at the Vasco Fire and Emergency Services (VFES), at least as far as issuing an NOC is concerned.
Residents in Vasco have been complaining that they have had to wait for almost a month to get an NOC issued from the VFES office and local fire officials have admitted that they are not authorised to issue the fire NOCs as these documents are issued at Panjim.
In one such case, a businessman has complained that he had had to wait for over one month to get an NOC from the VFES to enable him set up his business office.
Speaking to Herald, the businessman, who did not wish to disclose his name for fear of a backlash, claimed he had applied for a fire NOC with the VFES in March, but got his fire NOC only in the first week of May.
“Fire officials inspected my business premises and I had to wait for the NOC for over one month. Despite applying for all necessary licenses, Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) kept my trade license in abeyance during this period only because I was yet to get the fire NOC,” informed the aggrieved businessman.
“Without the fire NOC, I could not get a trade license from MMC and without a trade license, I could not get a license from the Labour Department,” he added.
“I was supposed to start my business by April 15 and I had availed of a business loan. But as I could not get the necessary permissions on time, I could not start my business on time. I had to pay the first loan instalment without doing any business and all this is due to the delay in the fire NOC,” he claimed.
When contacted, MMC officials said they issue a trade license only after the party produces a fire NOC.
“Earlier, we used to give trade license with a note that the person has to produce NOC copy once it is obtained from the Fire and Emergency Department,” added the MMC official.
“Once they get the trade license, they forget to produce the NOC and when any mishap takes place, and then we are blamed for the lapse,” the official added.
When contacted, Vasco Fire and Emergency Services In-charge Francisco Mendes admitted to the allegations of the businessman. “I do not have the power to issue fire NOCs, as it is issued by Assistant Divisional Officer (ADO) at Panjim,” Mendes told Herald.
“We do not have a Tapal (courier) system, due to which we have to personally deliver the applications to the Panjim office,” added Mendes.
Mendes further said though they accept fees at Vasco office, they are able to deliver NOC to the party only after depositing the cash at ADO’s office at Panjim.
“We do not have any administrative staff and whatever is being done is done with the help of the firemen. We cannot take applications on a daily basis and whenever any officer goes to Panjim we send the applications through them, due to which the process is delayed,” stated Mendes.