64 fire tenders for 52 lakh population of Jammu region
Yash Khajuria	9/16/2011 9:29:34 PM
JAMMU, Sept 16: For the population of 52 lakh who inhabit the ten districts of Jammu region there are only 64 tenders and 35 fire stations to deal with any major eventuality in the region. Official sources said that while rapid expansion of towns and urbanization has increased the workload of the Fire Service Department but there has been no major modernisation of its equipment or personnel gear for last two decades. Sources attribute the poor condition of the department to the diversion of funds by the government for modernisation of police force to combat insurgency which has put the expansion plans for the fire service department to backburner. Official data says that Jammu district has 10 fire stations, with 25 fire tenders which cover the city of 12 lakh population. While Samba has 2 fire stations and 4 fire tenders, Kathua has 2 stations and 3 tenders, Udhampur has 3 fire stations and 5 tenders, Reasi has 2 fire stations and 3 fire tenders. Similarly Ramban has 4 fire stations and 5 tenders, Doda has 4 stations and 6 fire tenders. While Kishtwar has 1 fire station and 2 tenders, while border district of Rajouri has 3 stations and 5 tenders and Poonch has 4 stations and 6 tenders. Further officials figures say that there are only 39 heavy duty pumps at the disposal of the department which is not enough to cover the entire population of Jammu region. “There is shortage of equipment and vehicles but there is a plan to increase the number of fire station according to the population ratio but government has to take the initiative”, said R.S Sodhi, Director Fire Services Department. However he said that they are making maximum use of the available resources to deal with any eventuality. “At present we can deal with any major incident and steps are being taken to meet the requirements of the personnel”, Sodhi said. However an official source said that the department is still lacking even the basic equipments and the field personnel does not have fire resistant suits, masks or potable oxygen cylinders to deal with any man made or natural calamity. “It is not only fire for which the department is unprepared for, but natural calamities like the 2005 earthquake if it again struck the state they are ill prepared”, said an official. “We had submitted our requirements and needs to the government and after we get the required funds major expansion drive will be taken up”, said Sodhi. It is pertinent to mention here that in past over a week over a dozen fire incidents involving crops has put question mark on the working and the response of the fire tenders, which in most cases reached the spot after the devastation. It is pertinent to mention here that keeping in view the needs of the rapidly expending population in the state the previous government in 2005 had made a detailed plan to build new fire station across the state keeping in view the population ratio of the respective districts. Sources said that the main reason why the proposal did not materlise was the cost involved which was beyond the capacity of the government. Each new fire station involves expenditure of Rs 1.3 crore and an additional staff of 26 personnel at each station, which is quite out of budget for the funds allocated to the department.