23 Navi Mumbai firefighters sans training certificate, claims NGO

NAVI MUMBAI: A Right to Information Act (RTI) query has revealed that 23 of the 200 personnel in Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) fire department do not have the requisite certificate of training, claimed an NGO

NAVI MUMBAI: A Right to Information Act (RTI) query has revealed that 23 of the 200 personnel in Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) fire department do not have the requisite certificate of training, claimed an NGO.

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The information was sought by Sushma Maurya, president of Awaaz Foundation, from fire stations and the administrative department of the NMMC.

Maurya claimed that the response showed that 23 personnel have not undergone the necessary training and do not have the designated certificate required for fire control and disaster management training from a recognised institute.

It is mandatory for all firefighters of the state’s municipal corporations, MIDC, CIDCO and other private institutions to undergo training at state fire training centred at Santacruz and Nagpur only. No appointment can be made without training at these institutions, the NGO said.

The foundation said that one such personnel was sent for training years later for promotion purposes. Another personnel, who did not have a licence for driving heavy vehicles, was recruited and the civic body has spent ₹5 lakh for his training to help in his promotion. The NGO claimed that violations in the fire department have put the safety of the residents at risk.

Speaking at a press conference in Nerul, Maurya said, “We found that the 23 firefighters had submitted certificates of other institutions in Kolhapur and other places, which are not recognised for recruitment purposes.”

“We have written to the municipal commissioner asking for action against those who had submitted forged documents,” the foundation president demanded and said, “It is shocking that those who have submitted forged documents are being promoted. Strict action needs to be taken in such cases.”

“If no action is taken against such personnel in the next 15 days, we will file a writ petition in the high court against the fire department and NMMC,” Maurya warned.

The NMMC had earlier dismissed two personnel for being ineligible for service following a complaint by the NGO, the foundation claimed.

When contacted, Nitin Narvekar, deputy municipal commissioner, NMMC said, “The recruitment in fire department of NMMC had taken place in 2007. The personnel were recruited after their documents were verified.”

“We have now received complaints of documents of some personnel being fake. We are studying the job advertisement given at the time and the eligible institution from which the certificates were sought. We will contact the said institutions and verify with it if the certificates in our possession are valid,” Narvekar said, adding that “Based on our findings action will be taken. If anyone is found to have forged documents, he will be dismissed from service.”