CG HC flags need for close monitoring after state details fire readiness

Raipur: The Chhattisgarh high court was informed that the State currently has 9 fully constructed and operational fire stations and a total of 145 fire tenders functioning at the district level, according to an affidavit filed by the Director General, Home Guards, Civil Defence, Emergency Services and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). The affidavit was submitted in compliance with the Court's directions in a suo motu cognisance initiated on the basis of a newspaper report highlighting prolonged delays in the construction of a fire station in Bilaspur despite a rising population and frequent fire incidents.As per the affidavit, fully operational fire stations are presently functioning at Durg, Nava Raipur, Ambikapur, Jagdalpur, Janjgir-Champa, Korba, Raigarh, Rajnandgaon and Kabirdham. Of these, Durg and Nava Raipur have A-category fire stations, while the remaining are B-category stations. A fire station is under construction at Urla-Siltara, while tenders were floated for new stations in several districts.On the availability of fire tenders, the affidavit stated that 76 fire tenders were provided by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, 39 by municipal authorities and 31 by district magistrates, taking the total to 145 at the district level. Additionally, 55 fire tenders are operational at the block level across 23 districts.District-wise data placed before the Court showed that Raipur district has the highest number of fire tenders at 22, followed by Durg and Bilaspur with 10 each. Several districts, including Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi and Sarangarh-Bilaigarh, currently have only 1 fire tender.Taking note of the affidavit and documents, a Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha on Feb 5 observed that the directions issued earlier were "substantially complied with". The Court noted that detailed district-wise information on fire stations and fire tenders was placed on record and that concrete administrative and contractual steps were taken to address the long-pending Bilaspur fire station project.However, the Bench indicated that actual progress and timely completion of construction and strengthening of fire safety infrastructure would require continued monitoring.