NMC’s Fire Services Deptt gets nod to recruit 250 personnel
| Date :29-Aug-2022 |
Staff Reporter
Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) Department of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) would soon undertake the process to recruit nearly 250 personnel on permanent basis in its ranks to fill-up the vacancies that crippled the force for a very long period. NMC has got nod from State Government to initiate procedure of strengthening the fire fighting force. Nearly 350 vacancies are there in ranks of jawans alone, not to mention those in officers and other ranks that had severely depleted the working of NMC's fire and emergency services.
Since last two years, there was total ban on new recruitment as State Government was focussed on controlling the Covid-19 epidemic and that was the top priority. No new recruitment was done during this period and in addition a number of personnel and officer superannuated that caused additional trouble.
Now the process of initiating recruitment in all ranks has been initiated a proposal is sent to State Government for approval of Reservation Roster as there is urgency to fill-up the vacancies as one never knows when next emergency would occur, stated Rajendra Uchake, Chief Fire Officer, NMC, while talking to The Hitavada. He said nearly 11 to 12 categories are identified including that in the ranks of Officers, Mechanic, Electricians, Leading Fireman, Divers, and others that are going to be filled-up on permanent basis.
Just a few months back, the Fire and Emergency Department (F&ES) had decided to fill 100 posts on temporary basis as it was staring at nearly 350 vacancies and there was urgency since monsoon was approaching. Though
NMC could not fill all the advertised posts as only about 63 personnel, including some women, were recruited on consolidated salary of Rs. 20,000 and this proved to be the saving grace for the force, said Uchake. In case, these personnel were not available then F&ES would have faced enormous trouble in fulfilling its mandate of responding to emergencies during this monsoon season.
Uchake said already everyone realises the large scale vacancies existing in F&ES and therefore NMC has completed all the required procedure at its end that is needed to advertise the posts. He said during last recruitment also the problem was that from the 100 shortlisted only 63 persons managed to fulfill the criteria wherein one was about certificate about course in fire fighting from recognised institutes and other relating to physical parameters. However in category of women we could not get the desired candidates as ladies in Vidarbha region did not fit into height criteria listed by State Government. Even in Project Affected persons and Ex-servicemen categories they were handicapped in absence of non available of fire fighting course certificate that was made mandatory by State Government.
The senior fire officer however was hopeful of finding atleast 50 per cent personnel among the 250 posts that is to be advertised in near future for filling-up vacancies in NMC's F&ES. Right now 9 fire stations are operational and everywhere the available manpower is not enough and this rainy season the force was stretched to its limits.
Uchake further pointed out that in case of emergencies, everyone is in hurry and it takes time to assemble available manpower from different fire brigade stations and hence recruitment for new personnel and officers is fast tracked.