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Pirangut industries meet Ajit Pawar to demand fire station
The Mulshi industrial association has submitted a written demand to deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar during his Pune visit to construct a fire station in the Pirangut-Ghotawade area
In light of the death of 17 people in the fire tragedy at SVS Aqua Tech, the local industrial association at Pirangut has upped the demand for a fire station in the region. The belief by locals and industrialists that an existence of a fire station could have saved the lives of the now deceased workers has renewed the association’s efforts to get their demands.
The Mulshi industrial association has submitted a written demand to deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar during his Pune visit to construct a fire station in the Pirangut-Ghotawade area.
Along with the demand for a fire station in the industrial zone, the association has also asked for a local office of PMRDA, development of roads, industrial-level water supply, and a functional government hospital.
The letter was made in the light of fire accident at Pirangut which claimed 17 lives on Monday. Hindustan Times in its Wednesday edition had highlighted the issue saying Mulshi region has around 700 industrial establishments including around 200 units in Pirangut-Ghotawade and yet there is no fire station. According to locals, when fire broke out at local firm, fire tenders had to be called in from other stations and it delayed the dousing exercise.
“In this industrial zone, a large of number of workers from Maharashtra and other states live. Additionally, since the area is close to Pune city, attracts a large number of dwellers,” read the letter.
The letter was signed by Satish Karanjkar, head of the association and Raman Govitrikar, general secretary of the association.
Speaking about the proposal, Pune district collector Rajesh Deshmukh said, the administration will quickly act once it receives proposal.
“I have already discussed the issue of fire station at Pirangut. The PMRDA will now submit its proposal to us. Once we get the proposal, I will immediately ask administration to positively act on it,” Deshmukh told Hindustan Times.
Since the area comes under Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), it will have to send a proposal.
Earlier on Wednesday, Suhas Diwase, PMRDA chief had said that the request for land to build a fire station has already been made.
Diwase said, “PMRDA has already planned a Fire Station in Pirangut area on a government land. We will be requesting Collector Pune for advance possession of the same. We can immediately start with the construction.”
The development plan for the industrial zone includes a dedicated space for a fire station, according to Diwase. However, the fire accident has necessitated emergency allocation of another piece of land, as the demand for the fire station went up.
The nearest PMRDA fire stations to the Pirangut-located industries are the Life Republic fire station in Marunji and one at Hinjewadi Phase 3 under Pimpri-Chinchwad fire department.
