The fire fighting department of Capital Development Authority (CDA) would not be able to get the required 35 fire engines, equipment and could not recruit the required staff within the allocated amount of Rs 295 million during the current fiscal, sources said. The fire brigade wing proposed to revamp the department in 1999 but no new fire engine has so far been inducted in the squad since 1992. On the other hand, CDA has proposed induction of 35 new vehicles, including fire tender, aerial ladders, snorkels and 386 more staffers to meet the fire fighting demand.
The official file work took six years to finalise the project and would certainly make the purchase of these vehicles and other equipment within the specified amount difficult due to increase in the prices, sources told this scribe on Saturday.
A senior CDA official admitted that the authority would not be able to meet the requirement and the department would be facing deficiency of fire fighting vehicles and staff. The poor show of the capital's fire department came to limelight a few years ago when the famous 17-storey Shaheed-e-Millat Secretariat, located near China Chowk, caught fire and everything inside the building turned into ashes in the presence of the fire brigade staff, who were helpless due to lack of resources.
Realising the gravity of the issue the government announced Rs 295 million to strengthen the fire-fighting department in 2002.
It is pertinent to mention here that the CDA has planned to hold bidding for purchase of equipment on April 8 but the project has again been shelved due to Directorate of Municipal Administration.
Five firms, two foreign and three locals, have qualified for the bidding, CDA official said.
The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the project. But the promulgation of procurement rules 2004 CDA board again approved the Notice Inviting Tenders (NIT) in accordance with the Public Procurement Authority rules.
A senior official of the directorate said that purchase of fire-fighting equipment is not possible during the current fiscal.
The rates of the required fire fighting equipment have increased in the international market and the available funds are not enough for the purpose, official added.
Under this project the department plans to divide the federal capital into four zones with separate sub-stations in Sector H-14, I-9, G-11 and Hummak Town to ensure efficient service delivery.
Currently, the fire department is working with only 10 fire engines, which were donated by the government of Japan in 1992. The total strength of fire department includes one aerial ladder, nine fire tenders with 12,000-liter capacity, two tenders with 4,000-liter water capacity, one delivery truck, two utility pick-ups and one commander van.
The only ambulance included in the fire fighting squad in 1985 is also out of order.
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