the goan I network
MARGAO
Will Thursday’s major fire at the Cuncolim industrial estate open the eyes of the government and officials of the fire services on the urgent need to set up a fire brigade in the industrial estate?
Margao fire services divisional officer, Nitin Raikar said a fire unit at the Cuncolim industrial estate is the need of the hour, but hastened to add that the ball lies in the court of the government to take a final call on the proposal.
In fact, Raikar told the media at the industrial estate after capping the fire fighting operations that his office had submitted a detailed proposal to the government for a fire station inside the industrial estate given the presence of dozens of industries in the Cuncolim estate.
“A fire unit is urgently required in Cuncolim, especially in the Cuncolim industrial estate. In the absence of a fire unit in Margao, fire tenders have to rush from Margao. We have already requested the government to look into the matter,” Raikar said.
That the fire station at the Cuncolim industrial estate is the need of the hour became evident when fire tenders from Margao, Curchorem and Verna had to be requisitioned for the fire fighting operations in Thursday’s fire.
Sources said that it takes minimum one hour for the fire tenders to come from Margao, Verna or Curchorem to reach the Cuncolim industrial estate given the heavy traffic congestion on the NH-17 at any given point of time. A fire unit at Cuncolim has been long demanded not only to meet the growing requirements at the industrial estate, but in the neighbouring villages, including villages along Salcete belt which can be accessed by fire tenders via the Assolna and Orlim bridges.
A resident of Akamol, adjoining the Cuncolim industrial estate, John Fernandes, wondered why the government has been playing with the lives of the people when it is a known fact that the Cuncolim industrial estate plays host to a number of pollution and other factories. He further pointed out that a fire at any of the industrial unit can claim the lives of workers, who are all housed inside the units in violation of the labour rules.
