Improve
fire services
Sir,
Since
Jammu is on developing phase and
boundaries are increasing like water
waves to all directions, the Jammu city
which was a limited Municipality, now has
become a Municipal corporation to include
20 to 30 colonies which have developed in
more than 20 kms all around the old city.
It clearly indicates the increase in
population, industrialization, public
gathering centres, roads and traffic of
motorcades, gas, fuels and oils etc. All
these make the alarming needle clearly
pointing towards the high range of life
risks and demanding same magnitude of
safety and security to counter the
situation and also to have stablized and
normalised urban life flow.
Circumstanceously,
the responsibilities of Fire Services as
per their motto ''we serve to save"
increase and needs more and more strong
hands and skilled and powerful head, but
in case of Jammu Fire Services, this
seems in deficit. I may point out here
with my personal experience that this
department (J&K Fire Service, Jammu)
is in immediate need of 200 to 250 Jawans
and officers either by recruitment or
promotion etc. to make up the present
deficiency of executives. The personnel
who had joined 20-30 years back, hardly
could get one rank promotion due to the
stagnation in the department. Those who
have completed senior rank courses are
still serving at the same ranks which
they previously held.
Although
in Fire Force Act of 1967 Fire Service
has been shown as "Sister Branch of
Police" and at par with Police, yet
only in books, not in treatment. Always
separate ruling is used if matter of
welfare of department comes in the way.
Despite
increase in work load and safety
responsibilities, the department is still
under-staffed whereas in Police level of
State, IG have been changed to DGs in
number. S P in two Districts to DIG but
here in Fire Service SP on six Districts
remained as it was. Though performing
province level duties which now need DIG
(Director) at province level as in other
Divisions/Department like education and
tourism we have separate Directors at
province level. Now J&K Fire Service
also needs two Directors -one for Kashmir
Range and one for Jammu Range.
It is very
difficult rather beyond one' self
competence to supervise and control both
the provinces by one Director, especially
in present era of prevailing conditions,
where matters of public safety and
welfare of Jawans involve. While staff
posted in both the Ranges, Kashmir as
well as Jammu are looking aggrieved
because of stagnation and having very
rare chances of promotion avenues,
neither expansion nor channels of
deputation to other department have been
explored under such depressed
circumstances. How they will save others,
when they themselves are burning with
their own woes.
There is
only one solution i.e upgradation in all
ranks and file.
Yours
etc...
N D Khajuria
Divisional Fire Officer (Retd)
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