Participants in the meeting expressed concern about the situation and requested that firefighting and safety arrangements be provided in 495 buildings.
A recent survey of the city district found that 495 of the 605 high rises (50 feet and above) in Lahore do not have adequate firefighting and safety arrangements, making them unsafe to live or work in.
This was discovered after a joint team of the city’s civic agencies surveyed 605 buildings and reported the problem to the deputy commissioner at a meeting held here on Tuesday.
Participants in the meeting expressed concern about the situation and requested that firefighting and safety arrangements be provided in 495 buildings. They also requested that the departments involved, particularly the Punjab Emergency Department (Rescue 1122) and other civic agencies, conduct a survey of all marriage halls and marquees in the city and ensure arrangements for the safety of the public.
“We need to carry out a comprehensive survey of all marriage halls, marquees, etc. since many people visit there to attend events. As a result, the emergency department’s Lahore team, respective assistant commissioners, and marriage halls association representatives must begin surveys of such premises immediately,” Lahore DC Muhammad Ali said during his address to the meeting.
He also directed the authorities to ensure that safety arrangements are in place in all teaching hospitals in Lahore in accordance with safety standards and relevant regulations. He also believed that after the marriage halls were completed, a survey of all city markets should be conducted.
“The staff deputed at Lahore marriage halls, markets, high rises, and other business premises must be trained in first aid and assisting the authorities in rescue and evacuation operations,” Mr Ali said, adding that the general public should also be educated on how to plug gas leaks and other measures to reduce the possibility of a fire eruption.
“All buildings in category (D)—the most dangerous—must be moved to category (A)—safe premises,” the DC stated.
Rescue 1122, the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa), the Traffic Engineering Planning Authority (Tepa), the Lahore Development Authority (LDA), and other stakeholders attended the meeting.
According to District Emergency Officer Shahid Waheed, the meeting was held to inform participants about the Punjab Emergency Community Safety Act 2022, which was recently approved by the Punjab Assembly.
“This act provides a series of safety standards that must be followed in all buildings, particularly where people live in apartments and where vertical building growth is encouraged,” he explained to Dawn on Tuesday.
He stated that the participants decided to take strict action under the new act by ensuring safety arrangements in all buildings. He stated that it was time to put the new act into action in both letter and spirit in order to prevent fires in city buildings, as many people had lost their lives due to such tragic incidents in the past.
Mr. Waheed stated that, under the act, all buildings must now obtain emergency department safety certificates. “Anyone (the owner of the building) who fails to ensure the provision of safety arrangements will be penalised under the law,” he warned.