VIJAYAWADA: Home Minister Taneti Vanitha claimed that the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Response and Fire Service department is on top place among other states across the country in terms of modernisation of disaster management services.
A review meeting with senior officials of the fire department and disaster management response department was held at the Secretariat in Velagapudi on Wednesday where the officials discussed the measures to reduce the cost of fire services management, ease the NOC procedures and other amendments to be made in the AP Fire service Act, 1999, on par with Model Fire Force bill, 2019.
The review meeting started with the inauguration of a report and recommendations by the Fire Services Gazette Notification Committee chairman Ravi Shankar Ayyanar. Addressing the officials, the Home Minister said that as many as six gazette notifications were issued in the year 2022 regarding the issuance of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and maintenance of fire safety standards in buildings and necessary measures to meet the standards of equipment used under National Building Code (NBC) and usage of plunger pumps.
“Buildings should be constructed as per safety norms incorporated in NBC of India so that they are safe and secure from every aspect,” she added. Vanitah said that no State across the country is using plunger pumps as fire safety pumps and all central government agencies or state fire services are following National Building Code guidelines.
“The gazette has given some relaxations regarding setbacks, vacant land, bank guarantee and fire plans. The committee also recommended that local building rules be followed to ensure setbacks and vacant lots,” she said.
She also discussed on operational issues while dealing with high-rise buildings like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Delhi and the appointment of women firefighters in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. Principal Secretary (Home) Harish Kumar Gupta, intelligence chief P Seetha Ramanjaneyulu, fire services DG PV Sunil Kumar and others were present.