Substantial Progress Made For Recruitment In Fire Depts: State Informs Gujarat High Court In Rajkot Fire Suo Motu Plea

The State government informed the Gujarat High Court on Friday (January 31) that substantial progress has been made in the recruitment of officers in fire departments of various corporations including those at Surat, Ahmedabad and Rajkot.

The submission was made before a division bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Pranav Trivedi which was hearing a suo motu petition initiated by it after twenty-seven individuals, including four children, perished in the massive fire that engulfed the game zone in Rajkot's Nana-Mava locality on May 25, last year. 

Appearing for the State, the Advocate General (AG) by placing on record a December 2024 affidavit, pointed to corporation-wise charts and submitted that by the "end of January" the vacancies will be filled up at all the Corporations such as Surat, Rajkot, Ahmedabad and substantial progress has been done. 

"But nevertheless we are to see that we complete everything...Generally vacant post is reduced to great extent," the advocate general said. He said that the necessary arrangements will be made for recently constituted corporations. The court at this stage orally asked about senior officers not being there in Rajkot and about the vacancy of Additional Chief Fire Officer in Rajkot; it thereafter noted that there was no sanctioned post.  

On the court's query, the AG said that the post of Additional Chief Fire Officer is "not needed" and for the Divisional Fire Officer there are 9 posts are vacant.

"Sub-Fire Officers are 60-60 and the position for Fire Man is also vacant," he added. The AG then stated that the State has made "substantial progress" adding that the figures shall be brought on record (regarding the recruitment and vacancies).

He further contended referring to the affidavit that there will be implantation of a "refuge room" to secure human life that will be kept vacant say after every 5 floors or a particular section of the tall buildings and the people can reach to that floor in case of any fire mishap as well as there will be fire mechanism to take care of the situation. 

The AG then contended that hydraulic platforms are required to be installed outside the buildings and a "technical committee" will monitor that before issuing No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the (builders and contractors) each and every aspect of fire safety has been taken care of.

The bench then orally asked, “Do you have such instance right now in Gujarat in any such building?”

The AG then answered that there is no such facility at present but the future is being take care of by the State.

The court then orally noted that (fire safety) rules are set in place and the procedures are being followed and apart from the recruitment of (fire officers) there are no other issues pending.

The court further orally noted two aspects remaining to address–the issuance of fire NOC for schools and recruitment of fire officers.

It thereafter listed the matter on March 21 to look at the aforementioned aspects.  

Case Title: Suo Motu vs State of Gujarat & Ors.

Case Number: WPPIL/34/2024