DO YOU BELIEVE THAT ANDHRA PRADESH SECRETARIAT BUILDINGS HAVE NOT BEEN INSURED AGAINST FIRE?? Meaning, in the recent fire accident whatever burnt, it is burnt forever.. there is no claiming back.. YES IT IS TRUE.. To believe it, read the first line of this SOM very carefully.. Btw, anyone remembered Rosiah saying there was no loss in the fire accident ??This Official letter sent on 09th June 2009..

Extracts of SOM

(Pages 141&142 of SOM)

396. Precautions against fire: - The Secretariat buildings have not been insured against fire.  The Assistant Secretary of each department is responsible for ensuring the due observance of the following rules relating to precautions against fire:-

(1) The Assistant Section Officer or Section Officer who leaves a room last shall see that all the lights and fans therein are switched off and hand it over formally to the chowkidar.  The Attenders who attend on officers shall attend to this duty so far as the officers rooms are concerned.

(2) None but safety matches shall be used in the office.  No inflammable material should be allowed inside the building.  Sealing of papers should be done with utmost care under the supervision of the Assistant Section Officer.

(3) No naked lights shall be used in the office.  All candles or wicks must be protected by glass.

(4) Waste paper should not be allowed to accumulate in large quantities.

(5) Buckets shall be kept always filled with water or sand.  Fire buckets and all other receptacles containing water, should be emptied out on the ground (not down a drain) three times a week, i.e., on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays and should be kept empty until they are dry, when they should be refilled.

(6) Old furniture shall not be left lying about but shall disposed at once or sent into the storeroom.

(7) Smoking in office rooms, record rooms and within Secretariat premises is strictly prohibited.

(8) Minimax fire extinguishers are also fixed to the walls throughout the Secretariat.

 

(9) On the discovery of fire at night, the chowkidar on duty in the buildings shall immediately communicate the fact by EPABX Tel.No.235/9 or 23450097 to Secretariat Fire Station or Tel.No.101 BSNL or Guard Room Tel.No.23451738.

(10) The GA (SB) Department shall see that the fire pumps and the buckets in the Secretariat buildings are kept clean and ready for use and that the “Minimax” extinguishers three times a week.

(11) The officer in charge of Fire Station in Secretariat shall train the entire Conservancy and Watching Staff in the handling and working of the fire pumps and shall for this purpose hold fire drills once a month.  Every time a drill is held, the names of those who attend the drill should be entered in a bound register which should be submitted to the Assistant Secretary of the General Administration Department, for perusal.  It is also necessary that the material and last grade staff of the departments of the Secretariat should be familiar with the use of the ‘Minimax’ fire extinguishers.  Departments should arrange with the officer in charge of Fire Station in Secretariat for the necessary instructions to be given to their staff in their use.

(12) The officer in charge of Fire Station in Secretariat shall also instruct the staff in the use of the telephones.

(13) All arrangements for precaution against fire including the drills should be got checked up once a quarter by the Fire Service Officer, Hyderabad or his duty and his advice duly considered.

The Deputy Secretary/Joint Secretary/Additional Secretary (General), General Administration Department shall exercise overall supervision and shall, in particular, see to the enforcement of the monthly drills mentioned in clause (11) above.

397. Rules to be observed on outbreak of fire: - The following rules shall be observed on the outbreak of fire in the Secretariat buildings:-

(1) Fire caused by ignited oil should be at once smothered by means of earth.  For this purpose one of the buckets in each stand is kept filled with sand.

(2) Immediately on the alarm being raised, every man is to report to the post to which he assigned and start taking steps to extinguish the fire/prevent the spread of fire.

(3) All movements should be carried out with the greatest possible silence and rapidity, and special care must be taken that there is no crowding in passages and staircases.

(4) As a draught of air will tend to increase the fire, all doors and windows which it is not necessary to use for ingress or egress should be closed.

(5) All inflammable materials near the fire should be collected and carried to a place of safety.

 

NOTE: - Placards containing “Rules to be observed as precautions against fire in public offices” and “Rules to be observed on the outbreak of fire in public buildings” and hung up near the guard room of the Secretariat buildings.

 

398. The electric installations in the Secretariat buildings are in charge of the Executive Engineer (General) to whom communications regarding supply, renewal and repair of fans and lights should be addressed.  Estimates submitted by him will be countersigned by the Secretary in General Administration Department.  The installations are periodically tested by the electrician at the Secretariat buildings and defects are immediately rectified by him.  Replacement of bulbs of lights and similar petty works will on requisition by departments be attended to by the staff in immediate charge of the installation.

 

399. Use of electric lights, fans and lift: - (a) Particular care should be taken in the use of lights and fans.  They should be used only when absolutely necessary.  Whenever an officer or a member of the staff for whom lights and fans are provided leaves his seat, fans and lights should be switched off.  Any neglect of this duty on the part of the office establishment is punishable.

 

For more news on current affairs and andhra pradesh politics, visit anigalla.net | apolitical & a political. Thank you.