PERNEM: Is the Pernem fire station building and fire personnel equipped to handle the increasing dwelling units and development in the taluka? With the commissioning of Manohar International Airport Mopa and Ayush Hospital, having a full-fledged fire station is the need of the hour for Pernem Taluka.
With commissioning of Manohar International Airport at Mopa and AYUSH Hospital at Dhargal and having other projects including the Electronic City at Tuem, Sub District Hospital, Tuem, which is presently undergoing renovation, Pernem Taluka will get development thrust, but the Pernem fire station continues to remain ill equipped and unable to handle work load and requires upgradation.
Presently, Pernem fire station caters to the whole of Pernem taluka which consists of two constituencies — Mandrem and Pernem with 19 village panchayats and one municipality.
The present fire station of Pernem is housed in the administrative building which is located in the heart of the Pernem town. However, the present fire station lacks required facilities. At present the Pernem fire station has one emergency vehicle, one water tender, one ambulance and a vehicle for sanitisation. Also due to lack of space, there are no separate sections as office, barrack, kitchen. The staff use the space for multiple purposes. They are forced to adjust and do their office work in the barrack itself while taking rest. There is a kitchen where some staff accommodate themselves during the night shifts.
Importantly since the fire station is located at the center of the Pernem market, moving the fire tenders at the time of emergency gets difficult since being a market area, it remains congested throughout the day. Meanwhile the present building where the Fire Station is housed requires urgent repair as the building walls and pillars have developed cracks. The cement from the poles is peeling off as well as from the ceiling.
A resident of Pernem said, “It’s very unsafe especially for the staff of the Pernem fire station since the condition of the building is such that it may collapse anytime.” “The staff has done patchwork of the pealed-out cement from the pillars, but the building requires complete repair. It’s also unsafe for people since the same building houses the women and child development office, while students of close by school use the walkway from the fire station to reach the bus stop,” a local Prakash Kambli said.
Namdev Parwar, Pernem fire station in charge said that his office has moved a file before the department with all the shortfalls and requirements of the fire services. Parwar said that considering the commissioning of the Manohar International Airport, the existing fire and emergency vehicles have basic facilities and to cater the airport and other projects. But there is urgent need for upgrading the fire station as well as the equipment including a bigger vehicle for the force.
