A pizza is delivered in 15 minutes but fire brigade vehicles do not arrive even after five hours, Punjab cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said today highlighting the sorry state of affairs.
The minister said that Punjab requires 550 fire fighting vehicles but practically has only 50 at present.
However, he assured the state Assembly that the government would set up a fire directorate to improve fire safety services in Punjab.
He was replying to a query posed by Congress MLA Navtej Singh Cheema in the ongoing budget session here today.
Against the requirement of 550 fire fighting vehicles, Punjab has only 150, Sidhu said.
"Out of these 150, 100 are outdated," he said.
The state has practically just 50 fire fighting machines, he said.
The local government minister accused the previous SAD- BJP dispensation of "totally neglecting" this sector.
The Centre had given a grant of Rs 90 crore for fire services and out of that only Rs 17 crore were spent and that too for small vehicles, he said.
"Pizza can be delivered in 15 minutes but the fire brigade does not reach even after five hours," he said adding that on the directions of chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh, a fire directorate was coming up.
A sum of Rs 45 crore has been earmarked for this, he said.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
