LUCKNOW, July 22 -- Nearly a month after a devastating fire in a three-storey residential building in Aliganj claimed 15 lives and days after another blaze in Gautam Buddha Nagar left two people dead and several injured, the UP Cabinet on Tuesday approved a Rs.25.78-crore proposal to strengthen the state's fire and emergency services with induction of 49 new fire tenders. The Cabinet granted administrative and financial approval for the procurement of 44 water tenders and five foam tenders to enhance state's firefighting and emergency response capabilities. Under the proposal, five new 2,500-litre water tenders will be added to meet operational requirements, while 39 existing water tenders of the same capacity and five foam tenders with a 5,000+500-litre capacity will replace obsolete vehicles. The procurement includes chassis, high-pressure pumps, fabrication and essential firefighting equipment. Finance minister Suresh Khanna said the fire and emergency services department plays a critical role in tackling fires in rural, urban and industrial areas. He said the new vehicles have been planned to improve response in congested localities, industrial establishments, petroleum and gas installations, chemical factories, airports, helipads and warehouses storing inflammable materials. Khanna said the compact water tenders would be particularly useful in narrow lanes and densely populated neighbourhoods where conventional fire engines face access constraints, enabling quicker response during emergencies. htc...