Banquets in Thane flout fire safety norms, crackers lit inside during marriage ceremony

Thane: The Banquets in Thane seem to be blatantly violating the fire safety norms and putting the lives of thousands of people in danger. On Sunday during one marriagefunction, firecrackers were lit inside at Prisha Banquet at Ghodbunder Road in Thane.

At Swastik Galleria at Ovla Naka, Ghodbunder there are three banquets. Maharaja Banquet is on the 6th floor, Gloria Banquet on the 5th floor and Prisha Banquet on the 4th floor. All three banquets have only one exit point and fire safety norms are absent here.

Firecrackers lit at Prisha Banquet

On Sunday, The FPJ correspondent went to Prisha Banquet on the 4th floor of Swastik Galleria in Thane for one marriage and saw that the firecrackers were lit inside the hall where many people were attending the marriage. It was noticed that few attendees suffered suffocation due to smoke from the firecrackers.

A social activist from Thane Binu Varghese tweeted about the firecrackers lit at Prisha Banquet Hall and also posted a video of it mentioning that such type of act will be dangerous for the lives of several people attending the marriage as well as for those who have offices in the said premises. The Thane police commissionerate taking cognisance of the said tweet asked the Kasarwadawli police officials to look into the matter.

Cold Pyro firecrackers used, claim banquet staff

Girish Zalke, fire officer, at Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) said, "I have ordered the fire officials to serve notice to the banquets and also find out whether they are following fire safety norms. If the banquets are found to be violating the fire safety norms, strict action will be initiated against them. Also, I have been told by the staff of the Prisha Banquets that the firecrackers which were been used were not dangerous. But we will check all the three banquets hall located at Swastik Galleria in Thane."

One of the staff from Prisha Banquets while speaking with an FPJ correspondent on the condition of anonymity said, "We follow the rules set up by the government bodies. The firecrackers which were used during the marriage function on Sunday are called Cold Pyro and it is not dangerous. Cold Pyro is now a days used in most of marriages inside the banquet hall. We don't want to get into trouble by flouting the norms."

Rajesh Babshetty, senior police inspector, Kasarwadawli police station said, " We will be looking into the matter and will initiate action if we find out that the banquets are flouting the fire safety and any other norms."