Odisha safety and fire compliance initiatives

The Odisha government has initiated several safety and compliance measures across the state. In August, the state government directed all eligible schools to complete structural and non-structural safety audits by the end of the month as part of the ‘School Safety Observation Week – 2026-27’. This directive aimed to address student safety concerns during the monsoon season, focusing on fire, electrical, and structural checks, as well as disaster management planning.

Following these efforts, the Odisha Fire and Emergency Service (OFES) identified safety violations in approximately 800 buildings and establishments. These violations include 258 residential complexes, 172 hotels, 100 educational institutions, 63 industrial units, 86 mercantile buildings, 43 healthcare facilities, 34 places of assembly, and 32 business establishments. In response to these findings and recent fire incidents in uncertified buildings, the department is launching the ‘Surakshit Odisha, Vikashit Odisha’ campaign, a month-long enforcement and awareness initiative starting September 15 to improve fire safety compliance through intensive preventive audits, inspections, and workshops.

Parallel to fire safety enforcement, the state has launched a 15-day statewide inspection drive to identify unsafe and structurally vulnerable buildings. Housing & Urban Development Minister Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra has directed officials to conduct detailed assessments of both government and privately owned structures. Urban local bodies are tasked with identifying these vulnerable structures, and authorities have indicated that decisive action, including the issuance of demolition notices, may be taken for buildings posing a serious risk to life and property.