Gujarat will have a unified fire service which will bring all fire agencies under one umbrella, with the state Assembly passing a bill in this regard.
The Gujarat Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Bill, 2013, was passed by the House unanimously in the absence of opposition Congress MLAs, who were earlier suspended en masse by the Speaker for creating ruckus over water crisis in the state.
Earlier, introducing the bill, Urban Development Minister Anandi Patel said: "To streamline the fire prevention, control and for the safety of life and property against fire, government has decided to set up a unified fire service for the entire state and all the fire agencies will be brought under one umbrella".
"For better co-ordination between the fire services under different municipal corporations and municipalities and effective implementation of it, this bill provides creation of five different fire regions, each headed by regional fire officers," Patel added.
At present, there are fire services and fire brigades being operated in the state by different agencies in the state and mainly provisions relating to fire are a part of local municipal laws. But if this bill gets the nod from the state Governor, all different fire agencies will be brought under one umbrella of Gujarat State Fire Service.
However, fire services maintained for providing fire protection coverage to specific building or industry by owner or occupier has been excluded from the ambit of Gujarat State Fire Service Bill.
