AHMEDABAD: In the aftermath of the Rajkot gaming room blaze which claimed 27 lives, the Gujarat government has rolled out stringent fire safety and regulatory measures.
However, the latest data presented in the Lok Sabha reveals a severe shortfall in fire services. Gujarat currently has 1,447 fire personnel stationed across 183 fire stations, while the actual need stands at 34,240. This means the state faces a shortage of 32,793 fire professionals.
On July 30, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, along with another legislator, posed several inquiries to the Ministry of Home Affairs. In response, the Ministry clarified that the Centre does not centrally track data on fire accidents, the number of fire stations, or fire personnel. Instead, information on fire incidents and related fatalities nationwide since 2014 is compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau, based on reports submitted by states and union territories.
As of December 31, 2018, data on the total number of fire stations across the country is available on a state-by-state basis. According to this data, Gujarat is reported to have 183 fire stations. The Home Ministry reported that as of December 31, 2018, Gujarat had 1,447 fire services personnel. This figure falls significantly short of the 34,240 staff recommended by the RMSI Report of 2012. According to the Ministry’s data, Gujarat faces a deficit of 32,793 fire professionals.
While Gujarat has a significant concentration of fire personnel, the state is experiencing a troubling rise in fire incidents. The latest figures from the National Crime Records Bureau’s report, “Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India, 2022,” released on December 1, 2023, reveal a concerning increase in fire-related fatalities, with 328 reported deaths in Gujarat in 2022 only.
Criticising the government over fire safety issues, state Congress spokesperson Parthivarajsinh Kathwadia said, “The NCRB reports that Gujarat experienced 3,176 deaths from fire accidents between 2018 and 2022. During this period, the state recorded 3,100 fire-related incidents. Specifically, in 2021 and 2022, there were 729 fire accidents, leading to 737 fatalities.”
Inquiry
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi posed several inquiries to the Ministry of Home Affairs. In response, the Ministry said that Centre does not centrally track data on fire accidents, the number of fire stations, or fire personnel. Instead, since 2014 it is compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau