New Delhi, April 16 -- Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Thursday chaired a high-level review meeting on the functioning of the Delhi Fire Service (DFS), focusing on infrastructure expansion, manpower strengthening and proposed amendments to the Delhi Fire Service Rules, 2010, amid rising concerns over fire safety in the summer months.
The meeting, attended by senior officials including the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary (Home) and senior DFS officers, also reviewed the department's Summer Action Plan. Emphasising preparedness, the L-G directed officials to maintain heightened vigilance in view of increasing temperatures and the associated fire risks. A key highlight of the review was the push for seamless integration of emergency services. Sandhu stressed the need for backend integration of Fire, Ambulance and PCR services under a common emergency call number, with co-location of these services in fire-prone areas. He underlined that simultaneous availability of these services is critical for effective response during emergencies.
Reviewing the proposed amendments to the Delhi Fire Service Rules, 2010, the LG called for wide-ranging, citizen-centric consultations involving residents, traders and business stakeholders to ensure the framework remains practical and inclusive. He reiterated that regulatory systems must balance safety with convenience, promoting "Ease of Living" and "Ease of Doing Business" in line with national priorities.
The L-G also directed officials to expedite administrative restructuring plans, under which the number of zones, divisions and sub-divisions are proposed to be increased from 3 to 5, 6 to 13 and 18 to 39 respectively, in alignment with Delhi's revenue districts. Expressing concern over vacancies in the department, he instructed that all vacant posts be filled at the earliest and sought a clear timeline for recruitment.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.