State introduces self-declaration fire licences for small businesses

Kolkata: The state Fire and Emergency Services Minister Sujit Bose, on Friday, announced that West Bengal is the first state in India to begin issuing fire licences based on self-declaration for small businesses and small-scale setups. This apart, the Fire and Emergency Services department is going to start a trial for a SIM based walkie-talkie system during the Puja days.

According to Bose, keeping the issues of small businessmen in mind, his department has decided to provide an online fire license on the basis of self declaration. This initiative will not only assist small business owners in obtaining fire licences but also encourage many others who are currently operating without one to secure the necessary documentation. Additionally, to get the fire licence, the small scale business owners will not have to visit the department.

After filling up the forms online, the scanned copy of self declaration needs to be uploaded following which the fee needs to be paid. After completion of the process, a fire licence will be generated automatically and it can be downloaded online.

“It will not only help the small scale business owners, but also the pressure of offline fire licence application is expected to go down by 40 per cent. The applicants will have to check on the website for the criteria for getting the fire licence on the basis of a self declaration,” said a senior official of the Fire and Emergency Services department.

He also informed that efforts are on to collaborate with the Bangla Sahayata Kendra so that those who are unable to apply online by themselves, will be able to approach these centres from where the applications can be submitted.

Department sources also revealed that the department will soon acquire an advanced ladder with a height of approximately 78 meters, along with 75 new fire tenders.