The Andhra Pradesh Fire Services Department has issued nearly 5,000 fire no-objection certificates (NOCs) through WhatsApp to fireworks vendors preparing to open shops for Diwali, after field personnel inspected the premises for compliance with safety norms.
Fire Services director-general P. Venkata Ramana said on Saturday that the department introduced the WhatsApp-based facility to reduce the time taken to issue approvals. The process allows vendors to submit their requests through the messaging platform, while inspections remain part of the approval process before an NOC is granted.
The department said its field personnel checked fireworks shops to verify whether vendors had met the prescribed fire-safety requirements. The inspections are intended to ensure that temporary retail outlets have basic firefighting arrangements in place before they begin operations.
Each shop was required to keep two fire extinguishers, 200 litres of water and a bucket of sand, according to the department. These requirements are intended to provide vendors with immediate first-response equipment if a fire breaks out before Fire Services personnel arrive at the location.
Ramana said licensing authorities were informed about vendors who failed to comply with fire-safety requirements so that necessary action could be taken. The arrangement links the Fire Services inspection process with the licensing authorities responsible for permitting the shops, rather than treating the NOC as a standalone approval.
The department has also conducted awareness activities for fireworks vendors on how to respond to fires before emergency crews reach the premises. Officials said early action could help minimise damage during an incident, particularly at temporary shops handling fireworks in the run-up to Diwali.
Fire Services personnel are continuing inspections of fireworks shops across Andhra Pradesh to check compliance with the safety requirements. Ramana advised residents to celebrate safely, take special care of children and elderly people, and burst fireworks only in open spaces while following pollution-control and other safety norms.
The continuing inspections and notifications to licensing authorities will determine whether shops that do not meet the requirements receive permission to operate during the festival period.
