1. Amid BBMP, Fire and Emergency Services squabble, rooftop establishments thrive despite lax fire safety norms
Following a fire at a rooftop hookah bar on October 19, the Karnataka government ordered an audit of all rooftop bars and the closure of those without clearance. While the audit identified 243 such rooftop bars and restaurants, none have been closed so far. Instead, they continue to thrive even as the Fire and Emergency Services and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) are quarrelling over who should shut them.
A senior fire official says the fire department does not have power to close these establishments as the BBMP is the licensing authority, meanwhile BBMP officials argue that only the Fire and Emergency Services can shut an establishment over violations of fire safety norms. This back and forth has lead to an impasse.
