Gujarat falls woefully short in its fire safety infrastructure, with a significant gap between the required number of fire stations and staffing levels. According to a recent CAG report, the state houses 183 operational fire stations against the requirement of 394, based on its population.
The shortage of fire stations is further compounded by a severe manpower crisis. Gujarat’s fire department currently has only 1,447 fire personnel, against the required 4,240. This translates to a mere 34.5% staff.
The state’s fire-fighting equipment and vehicles are also in short supply. Against a requirement of 1,467 fire vehicles, Gujarat has only 770 available. Of these, over 250 are non-functional or inoperative.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report has highlighted serious shortcomings in fire prevention measures across the state’s eight metropolitan cities and 153 municipal areas. The reports reveal that there is no record of when and by whom fire NOCs (No Objection Certificates) were obtained or renewed in these areas.
Expressing concern over the state’s fire safety situation, Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) spokesperson Manish Doshi said, “The BJP government’s inaction is leading to the loss of lives due to frequent accidents in the state. The government has no fire policy or regulations. There is rampant corruption in the issuance of fire certificates/NOCs. The government remained dormant for five years after the Takshshila fire incident, resulting in frequent such incidents. In fact, a case of culpable homicide should be filed against the high-ranking officials who have shown criminal negligence.”