Pune: PCMC Begins Disciplinary Action Against Fire Officer Over Moshi Building Tragedy

Pune: The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has issued a show-cause notice to fire officer Rishikant Chipade for allegedly approving a final Fire No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the administrative building at the Moshi garbage depot without verifying the sanctioned building plan or carrying out a site inspection. Officials said the notice was issued on July 17.

Municipal Commissioner Dr Vijay Suryawanshi issued the notice, stating that there was prima facie evidence of negligence in granting the fire clearance for the building, which later collapsed during the Moshi tragedy.

According to the notice, the building was initially granted a provisional Fire NOC in May 2019. Later, on July 26, 2023, the Building Permission Department approved a revised plan for only a ground-floor structure with a built-up area of 500.59 square metres. However, the Fire Department issued a final Fire NOC on the same day for a three-storey (G+2) building with a built-up area of 1,056.60 square metres.

The civic body alleged that the final clearance was given without checking the revised building plan or conducting a physical inspection of the site. The notice asks Chipade to explain why disciplinary action, including suspension, should not be taken against him.

The action comes in the wake of the July 8 Moshi garbage depot tragedy, when a huge garbage heap collapsed onto the administrative building of the waste-to-energy plant. Twenty-three people were trapped in the incident. Five managed to escape, nine were rescued after an 84-hour operation, while nine people lost their lives.

Earlier, on July 15, the PCMC had suspended chief engineer and Environment Department head Sanjay Kulkarni and executive engineer Yogesh Sopan Alhat for alleged lapses linked to the incident.

Commissioner Suryawanshi said there was a major difference between the approved building plan and the structure that was actually constructed. He said two additional floors were built without approval, and the deviation was not reported to the competent authority.

The notice also states that Chipade may have violated provisions of the Maharashtra Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, and the National Building Code. He has been directed to submit a written explanation; failing to do so, further action will be taken under the applicable rules.