MillenniumPost
Delhi

DFS takes up water sprinkling across city

New Delhi: To tackle pollution ahead of Diwali in the Capital and to keep dust settled on the ground, Delhi Fire Services (DFS) has started sprinkling water using fire tenders in different parts of the city.

Talking to Millennium Post, Chief Fire Officer of DFS Atul Garg said they have started sprinkling water in different areas of New Delhi to stop dust from mixing in the air, and the action will soon be implemented in other parts.

"If there are spare fire tenders in stations, we are using them for sprinkling,"said Garg. Air quality in the Capital has been depleting, reaching the 'severe' on some occasions.

According to authorities, stubble burning in adjoining states and unfavourable meteorological conditions are among the major factors.

Garg added they have made proper arrangements for Diwali to avert any untoward incidents, by identifying at least 19 vulnerable spots where fire tenders will keep round-the-clock vigil.

DFS officials, in a meeting last month, emphasised the need to deploy additional vehicles, considering the fact that no fire station is located in close proximity to these 19 areas.

According to the fire department, fire tenders will be deployed in 12 of these places on November 6, whereas all 19 places will see the presence of fire tenders on November 7.

Meanwhile, like each year, firefighters remained busy in 2018, as data accessed by Millennium Post till October claimed that DFS received 19,083 calls of different incidents including fire, house collapse, sewer deaths and road accidents, which claimed 178 lives and seriously injured 1,012.

Last year, they received overall more than 29,000 calls of different incidents, wherein 1,767 persons were injured and 318 died.

In 2016, 30,285 distress calls received, in which 1,987 people were injured while 277 died.

DFS provides fire safety cover to an area of about 1,483 sq km of the national Capital.

Besides, its resources are also deployed to manage fires/emergencies outside the Capital, based on the demand of the competent authority.

Moreover, DFS recently conducted a special campaign for inspection of schools in Delhi. Over 5,000 school were inspected from the fire safety point of view. Of these schools, 3,993 were issued NOCs, while shortcomings were found in 1,417 schools.

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