Fire services in Panipat cry for attention

Mukesh Tandon

Tribune News Service

Panipat, May 10

Three years after Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s announcement to upgrade firefighting services in Panipat district, the fire brigade wing of the municipal corporation (MC) continues to wait for new fire tenders and equipment.

Known as a handloom city, Panipat has more than 30,000 small and big units of textile products, poly fibre and woollen industries. All industries are largely using highly inflammable chemicals in their units.

Five or six incidents of fire are reported daily in the city and adjoining areas, with the number increasing during the wheat season every year, but the firefighting system is not sufficient to deal with emergency.

The Chief Minister had announced Rs 25 crore for upgrade of the emergency and firefighting system in the district during his visit to Panipat in 2015. The MC authorities had sent requisition for 10 new fire tenders to the Directorate of Urban Local Bodies.

The MC’s fire wing has three stations — at Hali Park, Red Light Chowk on the NH-1 and HUDA’s Sector 25. These are equipped with 17 vehicles, including 15 fire tenders, seven of which are 10 years old.

Seven fire tenders had been condemned, but were being used with heavy expenditure on maintenance to be ready to deal with an emergency, said a fireman.

The fire wing also faces shortage of manpower. There are 21 permanent employees — one senior fire safety officer, six drivers, two leading firemen and 12 firemen.

There were 95 employees on contract, of which 23 were dismissed on Wednesday allegedly for fleeing from their duty after a major fire on the Barsat road on Tuesday evening.

The municipal committee maintains a fire station equipped with two fire tenders, of which one is condemned. It has one permanent employee and 12 on contract.

The senior fire safety officer said they had sent regular reminders for new fire tenders to the authorities. He said in case of emergency, they got help from the NFL, IOCL refinery and thermal power station.

“A requisition for 10 fire tenders has been sent to the higher authorities. We got a new fire tender last year,” said Shiv Prasad Sharma, Municipal Commissioner.

A high-level committee based in Chandigarh would facilitate the purchase of new fire tenders and the process was underway, he said.