With rapid urbanisation in the last two years, theresponsibility on the shoulders of fire fighters in Canacona has increasedconsiderably. Several fire breaking incidents have been recorded in the recentpast wherein property worth lakhs of rupees were destroyed.
Had it not been for the efforts of the firefighters, thedamage would have been much more, perhaps in crores.
However, government has failed to provide required equipmentand necessary staff at Canacona fire station.
“The Canacona fire station was set up on December 23, 1998,with one station sub-officer, four drivers, two vehicles, four leading firemenand seven firemen. But till today, the strength is yet to be augmented,” saidChairperson of Canacona Municipality, Ajay Bhagat.
He further disclosed that one fire tender is about seventeenyears old, with capacity of only 2500 liters, and it breaks down quite oftenowing to poor maintenance.
The taluka needs at least two more modern fire tenders withhigher water capacity to cater to the entire taluka.
Fire officer, Namdev Parwar said that during the last twoyears, the fire station personnel succeeded in saving more than 150 lives indifferent accidents. This includes fire related incidents and rescue of cattledrowning too.
“On many occasions, incidents of fire took place due tonegligence and short circuit,” said Palolem councilor, Simon Rebello.
He said that in a major fire incident recently reported atPalolem, three garment shops and one shop offering musical instruments weregutted before the fire brigade personnel could arrive on the scene.
The firemen here are prompt in attending to various callsfrom all over the Canacona taluka.
“Many times fire tenders from Canacona to Khola (which isabout 26 kilometers from the station) or from Canaona to Polem-Cotigao (whichis about 29 kilometers from the station) reach to the site, everything is reducedto ashes. So at least two more fire tenders are the needed in Canacona,” schoolheadmaster, Pramod Desai said.
Besides attending to calls of fire, the fire officers alsoattend to emergency calls, uprooting of trees, house collapse, rescueoperations, flood related calls, drowning or accident cases, leakages of oil onroads, landslides, mudslides, oil tanker accident cases etc leading fire manLolienkar said.
The divisional fire officer south Goa, P M Parab said that50 percent of tents and shacks in Canacona coastal areas do not have fireextinguishers, a must for every structure and restaurant.
“It’s important toensure that right type of fire extinguisher is used,” he said and added that hehas already instructed about the same to the Canacona fire station in charge.
“Government is trying to attract more tourists in Canaconabut fails to ensure their safety. The huts and tents at Palolem, Agonda andPatnem-Colomb are erected very close to one another. If one catches fire theentire area will be reduced to ashes within minutes,” said Divakar Pagi formerchairperson of CMC.
“Not a single fire hydrant is functioning in the taluka,which were set up some twenty years ago, said fire officer, Namadev.
