The Pune Municipal Corporation’s fire department has begun tracing establishments and housing societies that have failed to renew their fire certificates or pay annual fire service charges, with a recovery proposal now awaiting approval from Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram.
The civic body estimates that the exercise could recover between Rs 15 crore and Rs 20 crore every year. The department has also started inspections at coaching classes, paying guest accommodations, educational buildings, warehouses classified as dangerous, scrap shops, hospitals, petrol pumps and other establishments across Pune.
According to the fire department, inspections have found several establishments without required firefighting measures. Officials also found that some businesses were operating without the approvals needed to run their premises and had not paid the annual fee due to the PMC for renewing their fire certificates.
Fire department chief Ganesh Sonune said the issue extends beyond commercial establishments. Many housing societies in the city do not obtain a No Objection Certificate from the fire department, while others fail to renew their fire certificates after they expire, he said.
Under the Fire Safety Act, the PMC charges a firefighting fee when it issues the final occupancy letter for a newly constructed building. Concerned establishments and large housing societies are required to pay one per cent of that fee every year and renew their fire certificates.
The fire department earns between Rs 150 crore and Rs 200 crore from fire fees after final occupancy letters are issued, according to the report. One per cent of this amount represents the estimated annual recovery of Rs 15 crore to Rs 20 crore that the department says has not been collected because many establishments stop paying after receiving their final occupancy letters.
“Establishments in the city are required to pay one per cent of the fee every year. However, due to this neglect, it has come to light that the revenue of the municipality is sinking,” Sonune said. He added that the department had submitted a proposal to the municipal commissioner for approval after reviewing the outstanding amounts.
The department has begun identifying establishments and societies that have not complied with the payment and renewal requirements, and action has already started against some of them, Sonune said. The inspections are being prioritised as Pune’s rapid growth has increased the demand on the city’s fire service.
The proposed recovery drive links annual municipal revenue collection with the continuing fire-safety obligations of buildings that have already received occupancy approval. Further action will depend on the municipal commissioner’s decision on the department’s proposal.
