Shimla, Apr 11 (FN Bureau) Himachal Pradesh’s Fire Services of Home Department have no database for high rise buildings for purposes of preparedness for rescue operation in the event of disaster and combat fire. The Comptroller and Auditor General stated this in a performance audit report released by Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in State assembly recently. The Audit Report covers the audit period 2011-16 to ascertain the preparedness for disaster management in the State. Dedicating an entire chapter for the performance audit(PA) of preparedness of Department, the CAG pointed out that it had neither conducted vulnerability analysis of fire vulnerable buildings nor prepared a database of hazardous industries. The Department had no database of high-rise buildings in the state despite the Public Account Committee’s recommendation for identification of such buildings. CAG pointed out the non-obtaining of fire NOCs by schools and hospitals . A para highlights that the Supreme Court order for every school to obtain mandatory fire NOC was not complied with. Government of India taking note of fire incidences in hospitals in various States and MHA issued advisories to the States directing regular inspections of hospitals and nursing homes to ensure compliance with National Building Code (NBC) fire safety norms. Fire Department informed (September 2021) that out of 2,806 Government Schools in the State, only 55 schools had obtained fire NOC during the period 2018-21. Further, all 996 major Government Hospitals in the State had not obtained fire NOC. Howeverr, as there were no penal provisions in the legal framework of the State, no action against defaulters had been taken and compliance with Supreme Court and Ministery of home affairs directions was not ensured. Thus, the lives of general public working in or visiting these buildings remained always at risk. During 2018-2021, 5,301 fire incidents occurred ( in 23 test-checked fire control centers) causing a loss of 117 human and 43 cattle lives along with estimated loss of property valued at 479.28 crore.
Audit conducted joint physical inspection of 24 buildings with officials of the Fire Services department ( August – September 2021 and February 2022 ) . The buildings were selected from amongst those that had applied for NOC from the Fire Department. It was found that 17 of the 24 buildings had received NOC upon having demonstrated adherence to fire safety norms. In the remaining seven buildings, the department’s suggestions had not been complied with even after 08 to 93 months of inspections. In the absence of mandatory clearance or NOC requirement and penal provision, the department was unable to initiate any action against the building owners or occupants. The Fire Department stated that NOCs were being issued to those applicants who approached the department after adoption of fire safety measures in their buildings. The fact remained that the department could not force non-compliant institutions to adopt fire safety measures in a timely manner due to absence of enabling regulations. The HP Fire Fighting Services Act, 1984, empowers the Department to enter or examine premises for compliance with fire safety norms but are weak as they do not contain provisions to enforce compliance and penal provisions for non-adherence to norms. The primary role of the department is to protect life and property from fire and other calamities. The responsibilities of the Department include issue and compliance of fire safety clearances for buildings of above 15 meters of height and industrial and commercial establishments dealing or using explosive and highly inflammable substances, issue of fire safety guidelines, issue of fire reports and organizing fire safety demonstrations, trainings, awareness programs towards disaster management preparedness in the State Compliance Audit Report for the year ended 31 March 2021. “There has not been any significant improvement in preparedness of the fire department in mitigating disasters, even after lapse of six years from recommendations made after audit exercise featured in the CAG’s Audit Report of the year 2016. The PA among others, assessed and highlighted the shortcomings of the fire department and recommended for strengthening the fire department. Before releasing the report CAG test checked 23 fire control centers did not have adequate and reliable source of water.
Against approved fleet strength of 115 fire fighting vehicles in the State, only 85 were available. At the Same time, Department surrendered budget of 6.22 crore under ‘Motor Vehicle’ during 2018. 21. Against sanctioned strength of 938 posts of operational staff, 257 (28 per cent) posts were lying vacant, adversely impacting the capacity of fire control centres. The Department did not conduct any physical assessment test of firefighters during 2018-21 to ascertain their fitness for the job. At the 23 test-checked fire control centres, against sanctioned strength of 353 operational staff, only 280 personnel were in position leaving 173 posts (21 per cent) vacant as of March 2021. The department stated (October 2021) that proposal for filling vacant posts has been sent to HP Public Service Commission and HP Staff Selection Commission. The fact remained that non – recruitment of operational staff was adversely impacting the capacity of the fire control centers . Physical Assessment Test for operational firefighting staff as per SFAC recommendation 45 years should be the upper age limit for firemen who are involved in firefighting and rescue operations , and physical assessment test is to be held every six months to ensure that they are fit to perform duties. Scrutiny of records of Directorate of Fire Services revealed that out of 679 operational staff in the department, 437 (64%) were above the age of 45 years. Department not conduct any physical fitness tests during 2018-21 as per recommendations Compliance Audit report for the year ended 31 March 2021 There was delayed response to fire incidents.commenting on the readyness to avert diaster CAG stated that Six fire control centers “were wholly dependent upon natural or other source of water and in two out of these six centres, the water sources were located 10 and 12 kms away.