Staff crunch ails Ludhiana fire brigade, 79% sanctioned posts vacant

Ludhiana fire department has deployed 50 firemen and 23 drivers on outsource/contractual basis to deal with the staff shortage. But officials maintain that it is difficult for outsourced employees to match up to the trained regular staff.

Even as authorities are working to upgrade firefighting equipment ahead of Diwali, the Ludhiana fire department is facing an acute shortage of staff. Of the 147 sanctioned posts, 117 are lying vacant.

No new post has been created in the Ludhiana fire department for the last four decades. (HT File)

Besides, no new post has been created in the last four decades. As per department officials, the existing posts were sanctioned in the early 80s after which no new post was created even as the city has grown in terms of area and density.

Of the total 86 regular posts of firemen, 77 are lying vacant. Similarly, 18 out of the 19 posts of regular drivers are vacant. The department has, however, deployed 50 firemen and 23 drivers on outsource/contractual basis to deal with the staff shortage. But officials maintain that it is difficult for outsourced employees to match up to the trained regular staff.

Eleven posts of sub-fire officer (SFO) and six of leading firemen are also vacant. There is no regular assistant divisional fire officer (ADFO) so a fire station officer (FSO) has been given the additional charge of ADFO. Two posts of FSO are also vacant.

An official requesting anonymity said the department has 17 big fire tenders, each of which requires a team of six persons, including leading fireman, firemen and driver, during every shift. As per norms, there should be three shifts (of eight hours each) in a day.

“As there are 12 leading firemen, 59 firemen and 24 drivers, including those employed on contractual and outsource basis, the employees are forced to work on 12-hour shifts. But they are not paid overtime. Sometimes, the staff members have to give up on their rest days to ensure staff strength,” said the official, adding that the matter regarding overtime is currently sub-judice.

The official further remarked that the department’s efforts at upgrading the equipment will be of no use unless the staff crunch is addressed first.

Sitting on a tinderbox

“As per municipal records, there are around four lakh properties in the city, including one lakh industrial units. The population is around 30 lakh. If we do not count the peon and clerk deputed in the department, there are 101 firefighters, including the SFOs, FSO etc. This means there is one firefighter for 4,000 properties and 29,700 people,” said a firefighter while adding that sometimes they are also summoned to Sahnewal, Samrala, Jagraon and even Jalandhar when a major mishap occurs.

The fireman added that the staff shortage issue has been raised several times at the state-level. “We are promised regularisation ahead of elections but it remains on paper. Recently, the state had also demanded a list of vacancies and it was said that more staff will be deputed in the department, but nothing has been done so far,” said the firefighter.

FSO Swarn Chand, who holds the additional charge of ADFO, said, “The fire brigade falls under the local bodies department. The state department has been apprised of the issue in the past and demand for deputing more staff members has also been tabled. The state government has to take the final call.”

MC commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal said, “The civic body is working to upgrade the fire brigade under the Smart City Mission and modern equipment, including life-detectors, thermal scanners, safety suits etc, have already been provided. The state government is also working to fill vacancies not only in the fire brigade, but in the MC too. The demand from our side has been forwarded to the state.”

Fire brigade seeks 20 addl drivers for Diwali

Officials said the fire brigade has sought 20 additional drivers from the MC for dealing with fire incidents during Diwali. The drivers are expected to report a day before Diwali. Temporary stations will also be established in different parts of the city, including Samrala Chowk, Aarti Chowk, Jalandhar bypass etc, to reduce reaction time during Diwali.

Proposal to establish two fire stations hangs fire

There are five fire stations in the city as of now, including the headquarters situated near railway station, Focal Point, Gill road, Haibowal and Sundar Nagar. As demanded by industrialists at Bahadurke Road, Tajpur Road and surrounding areas, the authorities had proposed establishment of two stations at Tajpur road dairy complex and vegetable market at Bahadurke road in the past. But the projects have been hanging fire. An official said the department will also need more staff to operationalise these stations.