Our Correspondent
Kohima, April 25 (EMN): Advisor of Fire and Emergency Services Pohwang Konyak on Monday said that Nagaland has 18 fire stations at present, out of required 48 stations.
As per National Standard, Nagaland should have 48 Fire stations. But till 2010 there were eight stations which have been increased to 18 at present. From 2011 to 2022, the department has constructed 10 more stations, adding that the department would inaugurate three more this year.
Konyak, who is also the advisor of SIRD, Relief and Rehabilitation, said this while inaugurating the new building of the Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services, in Kohima.
Initially, Nagaland Fire and Emergency services was under the Police department. However, due to its technical nature, a separate directorate was bifurcated in 1990 with seven fire stations.
To finally have the Directorate with modern facilities is historic because the dream to have a permanent building is fulfilled after 30 years, he added.
He informed that the department has been aiming for a training institute for the last 11 years and hoped that it soon be materialised. He stated that fire stations could not be established due to fund constraints.
Meanwhile, advisor of Urban Development and Municipal Affairs, Dr. Neikiesalie Kire said that public should make way for fire tenders to carry out the emergency services on time. He also advised the department to create maximum awareness to public in this regard.
Inspector General of Fire and Emergency services, Neilasa Sopfii informed that under the guidance of Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority, the department is pursuing Nagaland Fire and Emergency Act, which is expected to be realised this year.
Moreover, a model fire station in Kohima is to be established, targeted as the best in the country, if not in the North East. Work has already begun, he informed.
He said that over the years fire-fighting has been changed to fire prevention, adding that the department would be one of the revenue generating sectors as they take preventive measures and control fire damages.
Chief Information Commissioner, Mayionen, said that once ULB election is held which is expected soon, the building by-laws will also come into force, after which people will rather come for issue of fire safety certificate and therefore, the department have a brighter future, he added.
The newly inaugurated three-story building of Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services cost INR 1085.90 lakh and was designed by the office of the Superintending Engineer, Police Engineering Project, Kohima.
Allotted to M/S P. Suohu, a Class-I Registered Contractor, the project funded under negotiated loan with HUDCO as its funding agency started on June 16, 2016.