Mumbai fire brigade to get special rods to rescue birds stuck on wires

The proposal to procure the rods, which can be extended upto 16.5ft, was tabled before the standing committee of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and its meeting will be held on Wednesday.

The Mumbai fire brigade plans to procure 35 telescopic rods to help their officials reach birds stuck on electricity wires, thus reducing fatalities of officials during the rescue operations.

The proposal to procure the rods, which can be extended upto 16.5ft, was tabled before the standing committee of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and its meeting will be held on Wednesday. (FILE)

The proposal to procure the rods, which can be extended upto 16.5ft, was tabled before the standing committee of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and its meeting will be held on Wednesday.

The telescopic rods will cost Rs77.53lakh and will be distributed across 34 fire stations. A senior fire official said, “Earlier, fire officials had to climb up the houses, use bamboo sticks and climb trees to rescue animals or birds. Several fire officials have been injured in the process. These telescopic rods will avoid such accidents.”

According to data from the fire brigade department, the fire officials have rescued more than 13,000 animals or birds between 2014 and 2016, the highest in the past 30 years.

A year ago, a fire official, Rajendra Bhojane, lost his life while rescuing a crow stuck on a hypertension wire. After suffering for 20 days in a hospital, Bhojane succumbed to the infection caused by 50% burns on December 31 last year.

There have been several discussions in the past to relieve fire officials from birds and animal rescue, but the administration is yet to take a concrete decision.