Two battalions of disaster relief force to handle emergencies: Haryana CM

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini today announced that two battalions of the Haryana Disaster Relief Force would be established to handle any emergency situation in the state and to assist people. He also said that the foundation stone of the upcoming Fire and Disaster Training Institute in Jind district would be laid soon.

The Chief Minister was reviewing the functioning of the Fire and Emergency Services and the Revenue and Disaster Management Department with officials today.

Saini said that for the renewal of fire safety certificates, NOC would be granted automatically upon application. However, after renewal, officials would conduct random checks within 15 days. He instructed that accountability and time limits should be fixed at every level and the fire NOC should be linked with the CM Dashboard. He also directed strict action against officials/employees who keep NOC applications pending.

The Chief Minister directed officials to purchase two fire engines equipped with advanced 101-metre technology as soon as possible. Additionally, 13 hydraulic platform fire vehicles of varying heights and 250 firefighting vehicles for block-level use will also be procured. The capacity of water pipes in fire engines will be increased to 1,000m, allowing those to be effectively used in crowded areas during emergencies.

The Chief Minister instructed that the Fire and Disaster Training Institute in Jind should operate in accordance with NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) standards and provide training for responding to disasters, including earthquakes, fires, and floods. He also directed officials to collect data on all swimmers in the state and create a dedicated portal.

The Chief Minister stated that, in accordance with the Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines, mapping has been conducted for establishing new fire stations. Under this plan, 59 new fire stations would be opened in the state. He also directed officials to purchase 10 modern firefighting robots soon, which would be used initially on a pilot basis.