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Ludhiana: Industrialists seek fire brigade upgrade, write to local bodies minister
The industrialists rued that the number of fire incidents were increasing in the city day by day causing a huge loss to the industry
Citing the dilapidated condition of the fire brigade in the city, the industry has urged the local bodies department to take immediate steps to upgrade it and improve its state.
In a letter sent to local bodies minister Brahm Mohindra, members of the Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings (CICU) said the department did not have a proper safety equipment and the fire brigade staff also lacked training.
The industrialists rued that the number of fire incidents were increasing in the city day by day causing a huge loss to the industry.
They pointed out fire tenders were also in a pitiable condition with water leaking from the pipes. Even the staff lacked adequate training in dousing the flames, they added. They said the brigade did not even have basic gadgets like night vision goggles, a hydraulic ladder, breathing apparatus, fire safety suits, LED flood lights and telescopic light masters, etc.
CICU president Upkar Singh Ahuja said the government imposed 10% fire cess along with property tax, but the fire brigade had not been upgraded for a long time. “The CICU is also planning to hold a training session shortly where international trainers would educate industrialists about controlling the flames at the initial stage,” said Ahuja.
They said even earlier the issue was raised with the department and then local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu had also announced that the fire brigade would be upgraded, but nothing was done. The announcement was made after a plastic factory near the Suffiyan Chowk, which had caught a fire, and collapsed and 16 people, including nine firefighters, were killed in November 2017.
‘FIRE AT SK BIKES CONTROLLED IN 18 HOURS’
The industrials said due to lack of proper training, the firefighters are taking a long time to douse the flames during a fir incident. “It took around 18 hours for firemen to control the fire, which broke out at SK Bikes, on Thursday. This despite the fact that the department had summoned fire tenders from Mohali, Jalandhar, Phagwara, Samrala and other subdivisions.”
As per information, the fire broke out around 1:30 am on Thursday and flames were controlled by the firefighters at 8am on Saturday. The building also developed cracks.
