Kolkata, 23 September (H.S.): West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has announced a major recruitment drive to strengthen and modernise the state’s Fire and Emergency Services. Speaking at a special programme organised by the Fire Services Department on Wednesday, Adhikari said 1,400 posts would be filled through the West Bengal Police Recruitment Board.

The proposed recruitment will include 1,000 Fire Operators, 325 Fire Engine Operators-cum-Drivers and 75 Sub-Officers. The Chief Minister also announced that another 2,500 permanent posts would be created and filled within the next year.

Criticising the previous government’s contractual recruitment policy, Adhikari said fire service personnel require at least six months of rigorous training and that contractual appointments were not an appropriate approach for such a sensitive department. He said several thousand personnel had earlier been engaged on relatively low salaries and indicated that their pay could also be improved when opportunities arise.

Referring to major fire incidents at Tarapith and New Market, the Chief Minister said investigations had found that the victims died from suffocation caused by smoke rather than burns. He alleged that exit points in hotels had been locked, preventing occupants from leaving during the emergencies.

Adhikari also highlighted the work of firefighters who rescued 30 people at Tarapith and 80 people at New Market. He announced that the firefighters involved in these rescue operations would be honoured with Jiban Raksha Medals.

The programme also saw the induction of modern firefighting and rescue equipment into the state Fire Services fleet. The new equipment includes 198 medium-sized water tenders, 25 multipurpose fire tenders and three articulated water towers. A total of 226 new fire tenders are being introduced and distributed among fire stations across West Bengal.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey