Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Tuesday that the State government will fill over 1,500 vacant posts in Fire and Emergency Services Department in the next three months.
Speaking after inaugurating the State’s 214th Fire Services station set up at Baindoor in Udupi district, through a virtual conference from Bengaluru, the Minister said that of the 7,042 sanctioned posts in the department 2,482 posts are vacant. Of these 1,567 posts will be filled soon. The government is in the process of recruiting personnel for these posts through direct appointment.
The Minister said that the government will also procure about 25 vehicles for the Fire and Emergency Services Department in the current financial year. Some stations will be provided with 90 m high ladders. Steps will be taken to construct permanent and own buildings for three fire stations, including the one in Baindoor, in the State, he said.
The government has reserved ₹ 2.50 crore in the 2020-21 Budget to build a permanent building for the Baindoor Fire Services Station at Yedtere village near Baindoor town. The permanent building with a residential complex will come up on one acre land.
The Baindoor station was among 10 such stations announced by the State government in its 2020-21 Budget. The government had announced a grant of ₹ 25 crore to construct buildings for these stations.
Of the 29 posts sanctioned to the Baindoor station, 14 personnel have been recruited. The government has sanctioned two fire tenders and an equal number of portable pumps, a motorcycle and an air compressor for the station. It was the fifth fire station opened in Udupi district.
The jurisdiction of the Baindoor station covered Gangolli Fisheries Harbour, Kollur Mookambika temple, Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary and the new Baindoor taluk.
The Minister said that Fire and Emergency Services was the first responder during times of natural disasters and other such accidents. It played a key role in sanitising as a means to controlling COVID-19.
