Fire services to use water sources in Bhubaneswar to douse blaze

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha fire and emergency service has decided to identify and use water sources in the city to refill fire tenders during firefighting operations. The existing practice of sending fire tenders back to fire stations for refilling would be done away with. According to director general (fire service) Santosh Upadhyay, the mapping of water points would be conducted near vital installations, including industries, medical institutions, malls, major offices and places of public congregations that are vulnerable to fire mishaps.
"The Odisha Fire and Disaster Response Academy (OFDRA) will prepare a comprehensive policy for Bhubaneswar city to enable quick refilling of fire tenders near the vital installations. Water sources, either private or government, would be identified near the vital installations. Similar practice will be adopted in other places in the state. The age-old system of sending the fire tenders back to stations for refilling of water should be avoided completely," read a recent circular by Upadhyay, which is available with TOI.
Official sources said the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) are working on a plan to set up underground water tanks and hydrants at different places in the city to get the fire tenders refilled while dousing massive blazes.
"As per the Orissa Fire Service Act, 1993, we are empowered to use the water tanks of private people or entities to refill the fire tenders in emergency. We can also shut off water mains and pipes of any area to get better water pressure in the fire mishap sites. Anyone who does not cooperate with us in using water can face legal consequences and may be imprisoned for three months," another fire service official said. While carrying out the 36-hour firefighting operation at Laxmi market complex in Puri on March 8, the fire service personnel drew water from some local houses and commercial units to refill the fire tenders. Over 4 lakh litres of water were used to douse the fire in the longest such operation in the state.