BENGALURU: The scorching summer season has resulted in most lakes and borewells going dry. This has not just affected the thirsty citizens but has also become a cause of concern for the state Fire and Emergency Services Department as the summer months usually see an increase in the number of fire-related incidents.
In an exclusive interview with The New Indian Express, Kamal Pant, Director General of Police, Fire and Emergency Services, said that in some rural areas, the department normally gets water from lakes and other waterbodies. “We have special equipment to fill water from lakes and waterbodies in nearby areas.
Even the tubewells and borewells available in the area are used to fill up the fire engines. But, if the summer continues like this, the water sources available in rural areas may go dry. In that case, we may face some difficulty, and we may be forced to source water from faraway locations. This could be a challenge,” he added. He also added that due to the Union Government’s policy of scrapping vehicles older than 15 years old, 64 fire tenders are off the roads. “In some places, we have only one fire tender, and that is an issue. So far, however, everything has been managed quite well,” Pant elaborated.
On the situation in Bengaluru and the challenges faced by the department in such summer months, he said that the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is taking care of supplying water to the department. The department has not faced any difficulty in the past, he added.“ In case of any major fire emergency, we have our storage systems. We get water from almost every station, as each of them has storage tanks,” he said. Pant said every apartment complex should also have a storage tank. “Apartment and commercial complexes should ensure that they have sufficient water in their fire reservoirs,” he added.
On forest fires, which are common in the summer months, Pant said that the forest department has made elaborate arrangements and his department will continue to extend its support. With more village fairs lined up in the summer, he said enough fire tenders and manpower will be put into service. He also said that people should be alert and not carry inflammable items like matchboxes and cigarettes.