Five years after confusion over fire safety responsibilities left industries in administrative limbo, Gujarat govt has designated a single department to oversee the job. The urban development department will now regulate fire safety and issue fire NOCs for factories across the state.The decision applies to all factories, whether they are located within municipal limits or outside them, senior officials said. Until now, uncertainty over whether the UDD or the labour department was responsible for enforcing fire safety norms had left a gap in oversight, raising concerns over industrial safety.“The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by the chief secretary. The labour department will continue to look after industrial safety measures,” a senior official said. A formal govt notification detailing the new arrangement is expected shortly.Under the new framework, the UDD will ensure that industrial units install mandatory firefighting systems and obtain valid fire NOCs. The labour department will continue to oversee workplace safety, accident prevention, and compliance with industrial safety regulations.Officials said the overlapping responsibilities had created uncertainty over enforcement since 2021, affecting fire safety compliance in factories.To strengthen enforcement, govt will set up a dedicated indu ..
