Question : Fire Stations

(a) the total number of fire stations in the country, State-wise;

(b) whether it is a fact that there is shortage of fire stations in the country and if so, the reasons therefor;

(c) whether most of the fire fighters have not been provided uniform and necessary equipments and if so, the reasons therefor;

(d) the total number of buildings which are not fire safe and the measures taken thereon;

(e) whether there are penalty provisions in case fire safety rules are violated and if so, the details thereof; and

(f) the steps taken by the Government to ensure the strict compliance of guidelines related to fire safety measures in all the buildings in the country?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a), (b) & (c): Fire Services have been included as a Municipal function under Article 243 (W) in the XII Schedule of the Constitution of India. It is, therefore, the primarily responsibility of the Municipal Bodies and the State Governments to provide adequate number of Fire Stations. The information on number of fire stations is not maintained centrally.

The Ministry of Home Affairs engaged the services of M/s Risk Management Solutions Inc. (RMSI) to carry out Fire and Risk Hazard analysis in the
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L.S.US.Q.NO.3152 FOR 21.03.2017

country, which inter alia assessed the requirement of Fire Stations in the country. As per the report, the requirement of Fire Stations in the country is given at Annexure-I. The requirement projected in the report is indicative in nature.
The Standing Fire Advisory Council (SFAC) constituted by the Government of India, having representatives of all State Governments, has laid down certain norms for establishment of Fire Stations, Equipment, Manpower and Fire tenders/vehicles etc. SFAC has recommended providing uniform and necessary equipments to each and every fire fighter in the country.
However, these norms recommended by SFAC are advisory in nature and it is upto the State Government to implement these norms as per the available resources.

(d) (e) & (f): This Ministry doesn’t centrally maintain such data.
The National Building Code of India, published by Bureau of Indian Standard, covers the detailed guidelines for construction, maintenance and fire safety of the buildings. However, it is a recommendatory document. Guidelines were issued to the States to incorporate the recommendations of National Building Code into their local building byelews for fire and life safety. The implementation and enforcement of these Standard Codes and guidelines, besides imposing penalty provision in case of violation of fire safety rules is purely the responsibility of the State/Union Territory Governments.


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