2,500 cops, 112 firemen on toes to ensure safe Diwali in Ludhiana
PCR motorcycle squads will be out on roads to enforce the restrictions imposed on bursting of crackers before 8pm and after 10pm; civil hospital senior medical officer Deepika Goyal said three teams led by skin, eye and orthopaedic surgeons will be available at the emergency ward on the Diwali night
At a time when the city is basking in festive fervour and people are getting ready for Diwali celebrations, more than 2,500 police personnel and 112 firefighters have prepped themselves to remain on alert, away from their families, to keep Ludhiana safe.
PCR motorcycle squads will be out on roads to enforce the restrictions imposed on bursting of crackers before 8pm and after 10pm. The fire brigade has also recalled its personnel on leave amid the acute shortage of staff. Fifteen drivers of the Ludhiana municipal corporation have been deputed on duty for Diwali as well.
Police commissioner Kaustubh Sharma said as per the directions received from the state government, residents are allowed to burst firecrackers on Diwali night between 8pm and 10pm only. “Bursting crackers before and after the permissible hours will invite trouble as FIRs will be registered against the violators,” he added. He asked people to report any violation in their areas to police at 112.
Cops will be stationed at all major points in the city and over 40 checkpoints will be set up Monday morning onwards. Traffic police personnel will also be deployed at all main junctions to streamline the movement of vehicles, Sharma said.
Teams led by surgeons to ensure timely treatment at civil hospital
Civil hospital senior medical officer Deepika Goyal said three teams led by skin, eye and orthopaedic surgeons will be available at the emergency ward on the Diwali night. Similarly, 24x7 services will also be available in different private and charitable hospitals of the city, including DMCH and CMCH, and burn units staff will remain on alert.
27 big fire tenders kept ready
As per fire department officials, 27 big fire tenders, including a rescue tender, are kept ready for any emergency. Generator sets have been installed at 22 tubewells in the city so that the firefighters do not face any problem while refilling the tenders in case of emergency. As per the firefighters, over 30 incidents are reported on an average in Ludhiana on Diwali night every year.
Leave space on streets for fire tenders to pass: Fire station officer urges residents
Fire station officer Maninider Singh said,“People should avoid keeping waste or other material on the rooftops on the Diwali night. Also, they should ensure that the cars parked in the streets do not block the passage of fire tender, especially in the old city areas with narrow lanes,” he added.
Fire hydrants checked in Old City areas
As a large number of fire incidents are reported in the city, civic body and fire brigade officials had recently inspected fire hydrants installed in different parts of the Old City areas. These hydrants play an important role in refilling the fire tenders as most of the times, firefighters are not able to drive the tenders up to the spot due to narrow streets. In these cases, the fire hydrants are attached with tubewells and water is sourced from these points, reducing the time which is wasted in refilling the fire tenders from a far-away place.
Temporary stations set up to reduce reaction time
Apart from the five permanent fire stations in the city -- the headquarters near railway station, Haibowal, Gill Road, Sundar Nagar and Focal Point -- the department will also station its fire tenders at different locations across the city on a temporary basis.
This is being done to reduce the reaction time after a fire incident is reported. The firefighting vehicles will be stationed at Samrala Chowk, Aarti Chowk, and Bharat Nagar Chowk among other areas.
Meanwhile, despite a ban, traditional firecrackers were available at all six temporary firecracker markets established in the city.
