All the managements of the cinema theatres across the district have been violating fire safety norms. In all, there are 47 theatres in the district. During the summer season cinema halls are having good demand with houseful collections. Due to holidays for the students they are willing to go to cinema halls with their parents at least once in a week. The summer season is also well known for sudden fire mishaps.
When it comes to fire safety measures, the district lags in providing facilities, resulting in risk to cine-goers. The district fire services department is the state government agency to monitor the provisions of the fire safety measures. But the department every year is conducting routine inspections in some of the select cinema halls randomly and sending a report to the fire services director general (DG) during summer.
Due to lack of sufficient manpower, the department is not in a position check each and every theatre over the safety norms on every occasion. Moreover, the fire department has no powers to conduct sudden or normal inspections in cinema halls regarding safety norms without the orders of fire services director general (DG) or of the district collector. These procedural formalities are indirectly helping the cine theatre managements to flout norms. In Khammam town, almost nine cine theatres are functioning regularly with four full shows. But not even a single theatre is absolutely following fire safety measures. Sufficient place is not available around the theatre to move a fire extinguisher if fire breaks out in the theatre.
Sumps have not been constructed at the theatres to store water. Within the hall adequate fire extinguishers have to be placed for sudden usage during a fire accident. Seating arrangements have not been made according to the safety rules. In Khammam, all the theatres near Mayuri centre, bus stand, ZP centre and Gandhi Chowk areas are known for heavy rush. All the theatres have only single way for the cine-goers. Every time after the show traffic chaos is common in all the areas. The situation is the same in cine theatres at Kothagudem, Palvancha, Bhadra-chalam, Yellandu and other towns. The violations may cost the lives of cine-goers. District fire officer, Mr M.A.Q. Jilani, accepted that not even a single theatre is followingd fire safety measures. “We will conduct inspections in all the cine theatres in the district and send a report to our DG,” he added.
