Amaravati, Feb 16 (IANS): A delegation from the Andhra Pradesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry Association (AP Chambers) met with the Director General of state disaster response and fire services department, Mohammed Ahasn Reza, and asked for relaxing the fire safety norms for industries on Tuesday.

"AP Chambers urged the fire services department to relax fire norms for industries by increasing the fire exemption NOC (no objection certificate) height from the current 15 metres," said an AP Chambers representative.

The delegation suggested Reza that hazardous industries should have tighter norms and non-hazardous industries relaxed norms.

The industry body has also suggested the director general to slash fire NOC renewal charges for units within 15 metres height, including reducing the current renewal fees from Rs 5 per sq metre to Rs 1 per sq metre, considering the current economic scenario crippled by the coronavirus pandemic.

Similarly, the delegation also requested the director general no to include small scale industries under the Fire Service Act, 1999 as proposed in the amendments to the Act.

"The Chambers appealed to the director general that the Fire Amendment Act needs to be industry friendly and not a burden for the industry," said the representative.

The meeting with Reza is in response to the press release issued by the State Disaster Response and Fire Services department on December 17, regarding the amendments to the Fire Service Act, 1999.

According to the delegation, Reza responded positively, and told the representatives that he will shortly call a stakeholders' meeting to elicit views from the industry.