Panaji, Oct 21 (IANS): Defending the state government's failure to replace expired fire extinguishers at the state Secretariat, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday said like orally-consumable medicinal tonics, fire extinguishers too work beyond their expiry.

"It is like tonic. Even if it expires on October 30, does not mean on November 1 it becomes null and void. The guarantee of potency is until then (expiry date).

"Even in this case, the guarantee is till that date. It survives after that, but it should be replaced in time," Parrikar told reporters.

A fire audit has revealed that fire extinguishers installed in the seat of power in Goa, the Secretariat, have long expired.

The audit had been ordered by Parrikar himself after the Regional Transport Authority premises in Panaji caught fire on October 2, resulting in the destruction of official records preserved on site.

Parrikar also said that a series of poll-related code of conducts could have led to the "non-ability of the Secretariat staff to replace the expired fire extinguishers".

"But for your information, it will remain actually effective for almost a year (after expiry). Though it should be replaced. There is no justification for not replacing it," the Chief Minister said.