Panaji: The complex loops that entrepreneurs have to jump through to obtain No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for manufacturing units has led to an estimated 80-90% of industrial units functioning without clearances from the directorate of fire and emergency services, according to Goa State Industries Association (GSIA) president Pradip da Costa.
Survey Reveals High Non-Compliance
Costa flagged this concern while calling for the creation of a consultative committee involving the fire department, the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC), and the factories and boilers department to simplify the certification process. He said that the high rate of non-compliance did not stem from indifference on the part of industry. “It is not that people are not bothered about fire or they’re not interested in doing it. The issue is the complexity of the process put in by the fire department in controlling the whole certification process,” the GSIA president said.
Ambiguity Over National Building Code
Costa explained that ambiguity over compliance with the National Building Code has left micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), particularly older industrial units, in the dark, with no option but to continue functioning without meeting statutory guidelines. The number of units lacking fire NOCs came to light through a survey of industrial estates initiated by the GIDC following the fire at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora in December 2025, which killed 25 people.
Proposed Core Committee for Case-by-Case Evaluation
On behalf of GSIA, Costa has proposed that a core committee, including industry representation, evaluate each application on a case-by-case basis to determine appropriate fire safety requirements. “Let us evaluate what kind of fire system industrial units should put in place, whether the central fire system for the industrial estate is OK, whether they can do with just fire extinguishers… the number of fire extinguishers depending on how hazardous the unit is. Or they have to put in whatever is recommended by the fire department?” he said.
Water Constraints Add to Challenges
Costa noted that the fire department continues to follow the National Building Code, and if Goan industrial units want to comply with the norms, they would have to make significant investment and use water to comply, which is increasingly difficult given the state’s existing water constraints. “We don’t want another tragedy. At the same time, let us look at how to course-correct,” Costa said.
