A long-overdue inspection of firefighting equipment at the Panjim municipal market has revealed a complete breakdown of critical safety systems, raising serious concerns over public safety in one of the city’s busiest commercial hubs.
An estimated 7,000 people visit the Panjim market daily and the compromised state of fire safety apparatus like fire pump, hydrants, smoke extractors, and hoses means that the thousands of shoppers would be at God’s mercy if a fire broke out at the market.
However, Monday morning’s inspection — jointly conducted by the Fire Department and the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) — has confirmed that the fire safety infrastructure at the market has not been maintained or tested for eight years.
The inspection came afterO Heraldohad highlighted the serious lapse in fire safety preparedness in a report on May 14. The inspection had been postponed a number of times over the past month before it finally happened on Monday, when a three-member Fire Department team examined the fire pump, hydrants, smoke extractors, and hoses. Their findings were alarming.
The water pump, vital for firefighting, was found to be non-functional. The fire hydrants were out of service, smoke extractors in the basement were not working, and many rubber hoses were either damaged or missing entirely.
“The system is completely dead,” said a member of the inspection team, speaking on condition of anonymity. “It will need to be fully repaired. I cannot comment further; you’ll have to file an RTI to access the report.”
Compounding the issue was the lack of coordination during the inspection.
A CCP engineer present at the start of the visit left midway due to other commitments, and was replaced by a Town and Country Planning Department representative who admitted she was unfamiliar with the task.
Before departing, the CCP engineer stated, “A detailed report from the Fire Department will be forwarded to the CCP. Action will be taken immediately, and an external body will be appointed to evaluate the findings.”
When questioned about the eight-year delay in inspection, a fire services official said, “That question should be addressed to the concerned authorities. The RTI route would be best for further details.”
Raju Damaskar, President of the Panjim Market Shop Owners Association, said the findings came as no surprise. “If a system is left unchecked for so long, these problems are expected. We hope authorities act swiftly to rectify the situation.”
According to a source in the Fire Prevention Unit, safety checks for public buildings like the Panjim market are required annually. However, inspections are only conducted upon formal requests from the CCP — a process that appears to have stalled in recent years.
In a previous statement, a senior fire brigade officer had confirmed that even during the last test in 2017, fire hydrants in the market were found to be non-functional. Responsibility for the upkeep of such systems, officials reaffirmed, lies with the city’s municipal authorities.
As of now, the market functions as it always has, despite its fire safety infrastructure being declared “non-operational”.
O Heraldohad highlighted the serious lapse in fire safety preparedness in a report on May 14, after which inspection was announced
The inspection had been postponed a number of times over the past month before it finally happened on Monday
The water pump, vital for firefighting, was found to be non-functional. The fire hydrants were out of service, smoke extractors in the basement were not working, and many rubber hoses were either damaged or missing entirely
The lack of coordination during the inspection was even more alarming. A CCP engineer present at the start of the visit left midway due to other commitments, and was replaced by a Town and Country Planning Department representative who admitted she was unfamiliar with the task
A member of the inspection team confirmed that the firefighting system was completely dead.
A CCP engineer present at the start of the visit left midway due to other commitments, and was replaced by a Town and Country Planning Department representative who admitted she was unfamiliar with the task.
Before departing, the CCP engineer stated, “A detailed report from the Fire Department will be forwarded to the CCP. Action will be taken immediately, and an external body will be appointed to evaluate the findings.”
When questioned about the eight-year delay in inspection, a fire services official said, “That question should be addressed to the concerned authorities. The RTI route would be best for further details.”
Raju Damaskar, President of the Panjim Market Shop Owners Association, said the findings came as no surprise. “If a system is left unchecked for so long, these problems are expected. We hope authorities act swiftly to rectify the situation.”
According to a source in the Fire Prevention Unit, safety checks for public buildings like the Panjim market are required annually. However, inspections are only conducted upon formal requests from the CCP — a process that appears to have stalled in recent years.
In a previous statement, a senior fire brigade officer had confirmed that even during the last test in 2017, fire hydrants in the market were found to be non-functional. Responsibility for the upkeep of such systems, officials reaffirmed, lies with the city’s municipal authorities.
As of now, the market functions as it always has, despite its fire safety infrastructure being declared “non-operational”.