For lots of wood used in the construction of houses and other buildings, both in the rural and urban areas, the valley and the hilly areas, are more vulnerable to devastating fires than the regions with concrete structures. The fires are one of the biggest dangers that people suffer during the winters. Every year property worth hundreds of millions gets destroyed. Besides, traditional hay stacking under the lofts or in the top floors of houses in the rural areas, faulty electric wirings, illegal hooking from electric poles and LPG cylinders have added to the causes of fires. The mushrooming of new housing colonies without observing fire safety norms and the Municipal Corporation allowing construction of commercial complexes in the congested localities have made the capital city more susceptible to fires. In 2012, when the Shrine of Dastgeer Sahib, two hundred old wooden architecture was gutted in the devastating fire, it had come to light that some older wooden monuments, for lack of any fire safety protections were in peril. Seven years after even a fire tender has not been stationed at sites of these monuments. That the fire and emergency department is not geared to deal with any major eventuality is no secret; in spite of information the fire tenders fail to act timely. The department was established in 1893, and during the past hundred twenty-six years, the population, as well as the area of the capital city, has increased six-fold but nothing substantial has been done to upgrade the department to meet the new challenges. Instead of setting up new fire stations and recruiting more staff, the administration has failed to set up already sanctioned fire station and fill the vacant post. Against national norm of 25 firemen in a fourth category fire station, there are only four to five in place in Kashmir. Instead, of ignoring this critical department directly connected with disaster management the administration needs to live up to new challenges; setting up more fire stations, and recruiting more people. It should also procure latest firefighting machinery.
Emergency Service
