Ahmedabad: The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) on Tuesday sealed 60 properties, including shops selling firecrackers, during a citywide fire safety and building compliance drive launched in the wake of the July 18 Ramol firecracker unit blaze that claimed 10 lives.Of the total properties sealed, 44 did not have BU permission. Seven of these properties were in west Ahmedabad and the rest 53 in eastern part of the city.The special drive, carried out over the past three days by the Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services (AFES) and the estate department, involved inspections of establishments to verify compliance with fire safety norms and the legal status of their structures.An AMC official said the action was initiated after concerns emerged over the legality of several structures and whether they complied with mandatory fire safety regulations.“This action has been taken as a precautionary measure, keeping potential risks in mind. Further investigation into the concerned properties is currently under way. If violations regarding fire safety, building bylaws or other legal provisions come to light during the probe, stricter legal action will be taken against the respective property owners in accordance with the rules,” an AMC official said.According to the civic body, 126 units were inspected, of which 60 were sealed.
