(1) Save as provided in the last preceding section, every person proposing to use as a warehouse any building or place situated within any local area in which this Act is in force, shall apply to the Collector and shall submit with his application a plan in duplicate of such building or place prepared on a. scale of eight feet to an inch, showing—
(a) the boundaries of such building or place;
(b) the position of the engines and furnaces used or proposed to be used in the warehouse; and
(c) the space which has been reserved for the loading and unloading of carts and other vehicles or conveyance thereat.
(2) Upon such application as aforesaid being made, the Collector may in his discretion either grant or refuse a license.
(3) Every license granted under section 14 or under subsection (2) shall be required to be renewed annually; applications for renewal shall be made to the Collector, who may in his discretion want or refuse renewal.
(4) Where a license or renewal of a license is refused, the Collector shall record in writing the reasons for such refusal.
(5) An appeal shall lie to the Commissioner from an order refusing a license or the renewal of a license.
Conditions to which a building or place is to conform before issue of license.
License of building or place already used as warehouse.
License of new warehouse.
6 The West Bengal Fire Services Act, 1950.
(West Ben. Act (Chapter IV.—Licensed Wareh,ouses.—Sections 16-18.)
16. Every application for a license under section 14 or under section 15 shall be disposed of within thirty days from the date of its receipt by the Collector and if it is not disposed of within that period, the applicant shall not be liable to any penalties under this Act, for the use as a warehouse of the building or place in respect of which the application was made, after the said period of thirty days, so long as such application is not refused by the Collector.
17. Licenses for a warehouse shall be subject to the following conditions, namely :—
(a) that the warehouse shall at all times be open to the inspection by such officer or officers, being member or members of a fire brigade as may be appointed by the Director ;
(b) that the warehouse shall conform to the conditions prescribed under section 13;
(c) that no article referred to in clause -(/) of section 2, shall be made, prepared, dried or treated in any manner on the top or roof of any building constituting or forming part of a warehouse; and
(d) that no part of a warehouse used for pressing or screwing jute or cotton shall be used as a residence and that no person shall be allowed to bring into such warehouse any match-boxes or match-sticks or any artificial light not duly and thoroughly protected or to smoke within such warehouse, while jute or cotton is stored therein.
Annual fee. 18. (1) The annual fee in respect of a license for the use of any building or place as a warehouse or for the renewal of such a license shall be payable in advance.
(2) The annual fee shall he calculated at such rate not being less than ten per cent. nor more than twenty-five per cent. of the annual value of the building or place used as a warehouse as may be prescribed and different rates may be prescribed for different classes of warehouses according to the nature and quantity of the article stored, pressed or kept therein :
Provided that the State Government may prescribe by .
rules a maximum for the annual fee in respect of any class of warehouses.
(3) For purposes of sub-section (2) the annual value of building or place used as a warehouse shall be deemed- -- (a) if it is situated within a municipality, to be the annual value at which it is assessed for the payment of municipal taxes; and •
(h) if it is situated outside a municipality, to be seven and half per cent. of the current—market value of the buildin.. (which expression shall in this section and elsewhere in this Act include any land appurtenant to the building) or place as determined by the Collector, subject to revision by the Commissioner, such revision being final.
Period for disposal of application for license.
Conditions to which a license shall be subject.
The West Bengal Fire Services Act, 1950. 7 xvill of 1950.]
(Chapter IV.—Licensed Warehouses.—Sections 19-23.)
19. Whenever and so often as a change in the occupation of any warehouse occurs, the person entering into occupation of the same shall, -within two weeks of his so entering into occupation, give notice in writing to the Collector of such change of occupation, and shall thereupon pay a fee of ten rupees; and his name shall accordingly be substituted in the license in respect of the warehouse for the name of the last occupier.