Bhaskar Ground Report: When fire incidents have taken place in many areas, including Dussehra hills, when will action be taken by the Municipal Corporation?

Illegal scrap godowns in residential areas in Navsari city have now become a deadly threat, yet the picture of the municipal administration remaining silent is coming to the fore. Locked houses in various parts of the city, including the Dussehra hill area, have been converted into scrap godowns where hazardous materials are stored without any kind of fire safety equipment. Incidents of fire in scrap godowns have been reported in the municipal area in the last one month alone, but no strict action has been taken by the administration. Such godowns are openly populated in residential areas like Ramnagar in Vijalpur, near Vitthal Mandir, Shivaji Chowk to Phatak Road, Dussehra Hill, Nehru Nagar, Chhapra Road Cemetery area and Bandar Road. This warehouse stores fire-resistant materials including plastic, barrels filled with chemicals. No safety equipment is kept in place, even if a fire can break out due to a short circuit or a small spark at any time. The most serious thing is that the traders who run the godowns do not even live there, which makes it difficult to determine liability in case of an accident. The fire brigade was also helpless during the fire. The fire brigade reached the spot in 30 minutes after the fire broke out in the Dussehra hill area, but the vehicle could not reach the godown due to the narrow roads. The fire had to be extinguished by extending more than 100 feet of pipes. In this incident, 7 houses were engulfed in the fire, out of which 3 were completely burnt and 4 houses were damaged. >Ashish Rathod, zero in the name of local safety, no one knows what's going on inside Scrap godowns are built in sheet sheds so that what is stored inside is not visible from outside. There are no safety measures and such godowns in the midst of residential areas can prove fatal. The traders themselves do not even live there, so the risk increases for the locals. >Sushilbhai Verma, a warning to the Navsari administration. It has become imperative for the municipal corporation to take strict action against such illegal godowns before a major tragedy strikes tomorrow. Otherwise, a tradition like 'Tantra wakes up after fire' can once again lead to loss of life. Anger among locals, Rao to the collector Residents near Dussehra hill and Balapir dargah have written to the district collector demanding immediate closure of the illegal godown. The system is yet to become alert even though a major tragedy was averted in the fire incident in January. Residents clearly allege that such godowns are like a 'time bomb' in a crowded population and may cause major casualties in the future. Now there is a demand that the administration take strict action and seal such godowns.