(a) the number of incidents of fire in high-rise buildings reported in various towns and cities, of the country during the last three years;
(b) whether the Government provides funds for buying fire robot machines which can navigate through narrow lanes and reach inaccessible space to extinguish such infernos;
(c) if so, the details thereof; and
(d) if not, the reasons for not aiding and facilitating the States in fighting such disasters?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI NITYANAND RAI)
(a) to (d): Fire Service is a State subject and has been included as a Municipal function in the XII Schedule of the Constitution of India under Article 243 (W). It is the primary responsibility of the State Governments to take necessary steps required for safety of life and property from fire hazards in residential and commercial buildings in the area of their jurisdictions. The Central Government does not maintain data related to fire incidents in various towns and cities centrally.
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L.S.US.Q.NO. 325 FOR 19.07.2022
Directorate General (Fire Service, Civil Defence & Home Guards), Ministry of Home Affairs, plays an advisory role through the Standing Fire Advisory Council (SFAC).
The Model Building Bye Laws 2016, issued by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, have been prepared for guiding the States / Union Territories (UTs) for revising their respective Building Bye Laws. Its effective enforcement is in the domain of the States/ UTs.
Central Government had also circulated a Model Bill titled “to Provide for the Maintenance of Fire and Emergency Service for the State” to all the States / Union Territories on 16.09.2019 for suitable revision in their respective Fire Service Rules / Regulations on the basis of revised Model Bill. The model bill stipulates provision for constitution of Fire prevention and Life Safety Fund by the States / UTs under their respective fire rules / regulations.
The Fifteenth Finance Commission has recommended fund allocation of Rs. 5,000 crore under National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for the period from 2021-22 to 2025-26 for strengthening fire services at the State level. The States can also make use of this fund for procurement of modern firefighting equipment to deal with fire disasters.
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