One machine for Panchkula dist

Sanjay Bumbroo

Panchkula, April 1

High-rises having more than 12 storeys in Sector 20 are unsafe, as the hydraulic platform with the fire wing of the district administration cannot fight blaze at the upper floors of these buildings that are about 55 metres in height.

On the one hand the state government is giving permission for the construction of high-rises, but on the other hand, the city has no hydraulic platform that can fight a blaze on buildings taller than 42 metres. The only hydraulic platform the city has can douse flames up to this height.

There are more than 100 group housing societies in Sector 20, some of them having 18-storey towers. Sun City Parikrama has 24 towers with 16-18 floors housing around 4,000 people.

District Fire Officer Tarsem Singh said the present hydraulic platform available with the fire wing could go up to a height of 42 metres and it takes about 10 minutes to raise it to its maximum level. The wing has 12 fire engines and the hydraulic platform at the Sector 5 fire station, and two fire engines at Sector 20. Barwala has five fire engines, while Kalka has three, he added.

Mayor Kulbhushan Goyal said at a recent meeting of the Urban Local Bodies, it was decided to buy a hydraulic platform with 60-metre ladder for Panchkula.

18-storey buildings

There are more than 100 housing societies in Sector 20 (pic). Some of them have 18-storey towers. Sun City Parikrama has 24 towers with 16-18 floors, housing around 4,000 people.