Dearth of fire stations a cause for worry

Kurnool: Fire Services department is ill-equipped to face major fire accidents that occur in the district due to lack of sufficient fire stations.

Out of the required 75 fire stations, only 12 fire stations are functioning and these stations are unable to meet the requirements of the district’s population. Besides, the less number of fire stations, the department is also facing staff crunch.

It is learnt that several vacancies are lying vacant and there is no recruitment for the past few years. According to an estimate, the required number of fire tenders as per habitations should have been at least 80 but their number at present is 17.

These facts came to light after Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) sought information through Right to Information (RTI) Act. Speaking to The Hans India, an official of the Fire services department said that though there is a staff crunch, the same is being substituted with home guards.

The home guards have been trained since 2008 and they have been doing a good job, he added. Adding to it, the officer said that there is a demand for every mandal headquarters to have a fire station.

Setting up a station at mandal headquarters is a far away issue, we don’t have a fire station even as per the number of Assembly constituencies. There are no fire stations at Nandikotkur and Mantralayam, he added.

According to another official, there is an urgent need to establish new fire stations at Mantralayam, Peauply, Koilakuntla, Nandikotkur, Panyam and Orvakal with enough number of staff.

The government should allocate two new fire tenders each besides making arrangement for water required at Pathkionda and Adoni stations. Over 75 fire stations are required as per district population for better and fast services.