Goemkarponn Desk
CANACONA: Objections grew against shifting of Canacona Fire Station to a distant Cyclone Shelter at Chapoli while congress leader Janardhan Bhandari representing the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and personnel met the Director of Fire Brigade & Emergency Services raising stiff objections against the move.
On Wednesday, Janardhan Bhandari under the banner of ‘Vission & Mission, Progressive Canacona submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister, The Chief Secretary, The Collector (South) and The Director of Fire Brigade & Emergency Services demanding not to shift Canacona Fire Station from existing location at Xeller to Chapoli, appraising all what will be the difficulties people will have to face if the Fire Station is shifted to a remote, 5 km away distant place.
‘What is more shocking is even after 63 years of Liberation, the Fire Brigade which is a necessary emergency service doesn’t have its own independent building in Canacona but is functioning from a Godown of Civil Supply Department. It is really a sad state of affairs. We have seen the work of Fire Fighters during deadly Cyclone Tauke-2021, Canacona Flash Flood-2009, Ruby Residency Collapse-2014, Major Fire at hillock at Chapoli Dam hillock area-2023. Even the heavy rain lashed out in Canacona on 6-7th of this month created a havoc and underlined that our Canacona taluka is a disaster-prone taluka, but still emergency services like Fire Brigade who have been doing a commendable works continue to get step- motherly treatment in Canacona.’, Bhandari wrote.
Stating the government decision to shift Canacona Fire Station from Xeller to Cyclone Shelter at Chapoli is very arbitrary, Bhandari said, the present location of Fire Brigade Station at Xeller is very convenient as: [1] Easily accessible as it is situated on NH66 road opposite to Canacona Police Station; [2] Centrally located place; [3] Good Network Connectivity; [4] Convenient for people engaged in business to obtain NOC from Fire Service Dept.; [5] Convenient for Staff to reach in time & also get other facilities like eatery etc.; [6] Convenient to take Large Fire-Tender vehicles to different parts of Canacona taluka on emergency calls.
‘Whereas the Cyclone Shelter will create a number of problems like; [1] Not centrally located at it is 5 km away from present spot & 2 km inside the NH66 road; [2] Not easily accessible due to narrow, congested Road; [3] Poor Network Connectivity; [4] Inconvenient for people engaged in business to obtain NOC from Fire Service Dept., [5] Uncomfortable for staff for transportation & also for other facilities like eatery etc.; [6] Due to narrow, congested road it will be difficult to take Large Fire-Tender vehicles to different parts of Canacona taluka to attend emergency calls and get back to the Fire Station at Chapoli.
Instead government should hasten the process of acquiring the land allotted in Goa Housing Board colony at Mokhard-Shristhal for Fire Station, make payments and begin the process to start construction of a new and modern Fire Station which can cater to increasing emergencies in Canacona Taluka, Bhandari demand asking to put the decision to shift the Fire Station on hold.
