Desist from fire acrobatics: Cops to Delhi pubs

◗ The city police has also made sure that drunken revelers do not create a nuisance

New Delhi, Dec. 31: The Delhi police has asked restaurants and pubs across the national capital to desist from ‘ fire acrobatics’ without permission, in the wake of a massive fire at a Mumbai rooftop pub that claimed 14 lives.

The fire tenders will be on patrolling duty around popular party hubs to ensure that there is no delay in helping people in cases of an untoward incident, a senior department official said.

“The focus is that there should not be unauthorised amusement activities in restaurants and pubs that require the usage of fire,” said Dependra Pathak, chief spokesperson, Delhi police and special commissioner of police ( Traffic).

“Generally, people don’t take permission for such kinds of acrobatics or amusement activities. But even they require permission,” he said.

Mr Pathak said that the licensing department of the police has written to the Delhi Fire Service ( DFS) to carry out surprise checks to see that all fire safety norms are in place.

If any violation is found, the police might take action to suspend or cancel the licence of the place violating the norms, the letter said.

G. C. Mishra, director, DFS, said that their personnel were conducting surprise checks at restaurants and have got the fire exits cleared. He said around 25 fire tenders will be patrolling various hubs in the city.

Apart from ensuring fire safety measures are in place, the police has also made sure that drunken revelers don’t create a nuisance.