Panaji: A day after a nightclub fire killed 25 people in North Goa, the state government ordered all nightclubs, restaurants, bars, event venues, and similar establishments to conduct internal audits within a week, which will be reviewed by government authorities.
The order, along with a seven-point guideline that includes mandatory no-objection certificates from the Fire Services Department and strict adherence to occupancy limits, was issued Sunday.
The new directives from the Pramod Sawant-led government came as the state machinery launched a crackdown against the owners and management of the Birch by Romeo Lane restaurant-cum-nightclub located in Arpora village of North Goa district.
By Monday, the Goa Police had arrested five members of the facility’s management, owned and run by two brothers from Delhi—Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra. State police chief Alok Kumar said Monday evening that the brothers fled to Thailand in an IndiGo flight early Sunday, within hours of the fire incident.
Sawant had informed the press on Sunday that the administration sealed all facilities run by the Romeo Lane chain in the wake of the tragedy.
In the advisory issued by the Revenue Department of the coastal state, the government has also asked all facilities to ensure that smoke or heat detectors, sprinklers, hydrants, and fire extinguishers are functional.
“Use certified electrical wiring and protection devices; remove temporary, overloaded or unsafe electrical connections immediately,” said the government’s advisory.
The government also mandated that all facilities keep emergency and escape routes unobstructed, with illuminated exit signage, evacuation maps, and emergency lighting.
To ensure better coordination and implementation of fire-safety norms, the government asked the management of these facilities to appoint a Fire Safety Officer for each shift, along with regular staff training through evacuation drills.
“Train staff regularly; appoint a Fire Safety Officer for each shift; conduct documented evacuation drills at defined intervals,” the government advisory said.
To further enhance staff training for safe evacuation, the government asked facilities to include escape measures recommended by the National Disaster Management Authority, including training on forming a ladder with bedsheets in case of being trapped and no safe exit routes being available.
Meanwhile, the government also issued an order Monday, listing out the mandate of the magisterial inquiry committee constituted to look into the fire tragedy.
The committee, headed by North Goa District Magistrate Ankit Yadav and comprising the South Goa Superintendent of Police Tikam Singh Verma, has been mandated to look into the sequence of events leading up to the disaster on Saturday-Sunday midnight.
It has also been asked to verify if the nightclub complied with all licence requirements.
The committee has been asked to submit a report within a week, identifying the agencies and departments responsible for implementing guidelines to prevent such tragedies, and outlining measures to avert similar incidents in the future.
“The committee shall have authority to call for records, documents etc. from concerned departments. Also they shall have powers to summon individuals concerned. The Committee shall submit the report within one week,” said the government order passed Monday.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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