Chhattisgarh High Court Receives Detailed Report on Fire Safety Infrastructure
The Chhattisgarh High Court has been officially informed that the state currently possesses nine fully constructed and operational fire stations, alongside a fleet of 145 fire tenders functioning at the district level. This information was disclosed in a comprehensive affidavit submitted by the Director General of Home Guards, Civil Defence, Emergency Services, and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
Court-Ordered Affidavit Follows Suo Motu Cognisance
The affidavit was filed in direct response to the High Court's directives, issued after the court took suo motu cognisance based on a newspaper report. That report had highlighted significant delays in the construction of a much-needed fire station in Bilaspur, despite the area's growing population and recurrent fire incidents.
Operational Fire Stations and Categorization Details
According to the submitted document, the nine fully operational fire stations are located in:
- Durg
- Nava Raipur
- Ambikapur
- Jagdalpur
- Janjgir-Champa
- Korba
- Raigarh
- Rajnandgaon
- Kabirdham
Among these, the stations in Durg and Nava Raipur are classified as A-category, while the remaining seven are designated as B-category stations. The affidavit also noted that construction is currently underway for a new fire station at Urla-Siltara, and tender processes have been initiated for establishing stations in several other districts.
Breakdown of Fire Tender Availability
On the critical matter of firefighting vehicles, the affidavit provided a detailed breakdown:
- 76 fire tenders are managed by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services.
- 39 fire tenders are operated by municipal authorities.
- 31 fire tenders are under the control of district magistrates.
This brings the total number of fire tenders at the district level to 145. Additionally, the report stated that 55 fire tenders are operational at the block level across 23 districts, enhancing local response capabilities.
District-Wise Distribution and Disparities
District-specific data presented to the court revealed notable variations in resource allocation:
- Raipur district leads with the highest count of 22 fire tenders.
- Durg and Bilaspur districts each have 10 fire tenders.
- Several districts, including Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi and Sarangarh-Bilaigarh, currently have only one fire tender available, highlighting potential areas for resource augmentation.
Court's Observations and Future Monitoring
A Division Bench presided over by Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha reviewed the affidavit and accompanying documents on February 5. The Bench observed that the earlier court directions had been "substantially complied with". It acknowledged that detailed district-wise information on fire stations and tenders was now on record and that concrete administrative and contractual steps had been taken to address the long-pending Bilaspur fire station project.
However, the Bench emphasized that actual progress and timely completion of construction projects, along with the overall strengthening of fire safety infrastructure, would necessitate continued monitoring by the court to ensure sustained development and public safety.
