Amendment status not verified — confirm the current text below against the official source.
(1) The owners and occupiers of any low, medium or high risk building shall, either individually or jointly, obtain a Provisional Fire Safety Certificate before obtaining a building plan approval, and obtain a Final Fire Safety Certificate before obtaining a completion certificate: Provided that notwithstanding anything contained in any other law of the State of Punjab for the time being in force, no authority empowered to grant a building plan approval, or a Completion or Occupancy Certificate, shall grant the same unless the said authority is satisfied that the owners or the occupiers, either individually or jointly, have obtained a Provisional or Final Fire Safety Certificate, as may be appropriate, under this Act. (2) The owner or occupier, as the case may be, shall procure a Provisional Fire Safety Certificate and a Final Fire Safety Certificate from a Nominated Authority, in such manner and upon payment of such fee, as may be prescribed: Provided that the certificates shall only be granted after the owner or occupier, as the case may be, has submitted an application that is complete in all respects and has complied with all the fire prevention and life safety measures: Provided further that the Government may rationalise the requirements as to information and evidence thereof to be submitted in or with an application for renewal of the Final Fire Safety Certificate: Powers of Director and local authority to enter into arrangements for assistance. Duty to comply with fire prevention and life safety measures. Duty to procure Fire Safety Certificate, and allied duties. PUNJAB GOVT. GAZ.(EXTRA), NOVEMBER 26, 2024 (AGHN 5, 1946 SAKA) 61 Provided further that if any certificate is procured by misrepresenting facts in the application for the certificate, the persons guilty of such misrepresentation shall be proceeded against in accordance with the provisions of Chapter-VII of this Act. (3) For all applications on which the Nominated Authority makes a decision, the Fire Officer shall decide within such time as is notified under the Punjab Transparency and Accountability in Delivery of Public Service Act, 2018 (Punjab Act No. 16 of 2018), failing which the Nominated Authority shall give reasons in writing: Provided that the Government shall also specify the manner in which Nominated Authority may conduct various activities in relation to deciding on applications for certificates, including but not limited to raising complaints, in the interest of ensuring that fire prevention and life safety measures in buildings are adequately inspected and the certificates issued within the stipulated time. (4) The validity of a Final Fire Safety Certificate shall be such, as may be prescribed: Provided that the validity period of a certificate for a building or premises shall ordinarily be not less than three years, unless, in case of specific risk categories, prescribed otherwise. (5) After obtaining the Final Fire Safety Certificate, the owners and/or occupiers shall furnish periodic returns to the Government stating that their building is compliant with fire prevention and life safety measures as per the approved building plan and all the firefighting equipment is in operational condition. The return shall be filed in such Form, with such details and with such periodicity, as may be prescribed. (6) The Government or the Director or the local authorities may conduct, or cause to be conducted by auditors, who possess the prescribed qualifications and experience, an audit of any or all activities in relation to certification of buildings.