New Delhi, Aug 23 (IANS): In wake of the Karol Bagh hotel tragedy earlier this year, the Delhi Fire Department has decided to conduct an extensive programme for staff of hotels, restaurants and banquet halls in dealing with such emergencies.

The three-day programme at the Fire Safety Academy at Rohini in north Delhi would also include on-field training. A certificate will also be given - and will have to be renewed every year, officials said.

"It will be a three-day training programme at the Fire Safety Academy. The training would take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. We shall be teaching them (the participants) basic fire-fighting techniques, how to handle equipment, deal with leakage from cylinders... precautions and equipment testing and handling. A batch would consist of 40 persons," said Delhi Fire Service Chief Atul Garg.

The programme is scheduled to begin sometime next month and advertisements for it will be out soon. It will costing Rs 3,000 per participant.

The fire in February this year at the Arpit hotel in Karol Bagh claimed the life of 17 people. "When the fire occurred, the hotel staff did not inform the Fire Department for half and hour and tried dousing it on their own... this why the fire claimed the lives of the people," a senior fire officer said.

After the fire at the hotel, the Delhi Fire Services were prompted to start an programme for staff at restaurants, banquet halls, hotels and guest houses to ensure that they know how to operate fire-fighting equipment.