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बहार गजट (असाधारण), 30 माच+ 2011
1.0 Background of the City
Patna, the capital of Bihar state, is a city with an ancient past. It lies on the south
bank of the Ganga River and has three largish rivers in its vicinity. Today Patna is an
important business centre of eastern India. It also invites a lot of tourists to the city and
which acts as a
gateway
to
the
world
famous
Buddhist and Jain
pilgrimage centers.
The
Patna
urban
region
also
has
industries especially
at
Hajipur
and
Sonepur where rail
facilities are well
developed.
The administrative
divisions of Bihar is
based on the north
south division by
the
River
Ganga.
However the existing Patna Regional Development area is within three districts (Patna
Saran and Vaishali) which belong to three different administrative divisions which would
eventually cause difficulty in access of funds for the developmental projects. There is a
functional relationship between the three districts and therefore a regrouping of these
districts into a single administrative division is ideal for the efficient functioning of the
Patna Regional Development Authority (PRDA).
The area of jurisdiction of PRDA covers 234.70 Square Kilometers comprising of
portions of the districts of Patna, Saran and Vaishali. The PRDA area straddles the River
Ganges with the portion of Patna District lying south of the river and the Districts of
Saran and Vaishali lying on the northern banks. The 234.70 sq.km of PRDA area
comprises of the following:-
a
Within Patna district
The Patna Urban Agglomeration area and Fatwah
Nagar
Panchayat area, Maner Nagar Panchayat area and 104
villages.
b
Within Saran District
Sonepur Nagar Panchayat Area and 19 villages around
Sonepur Nagar Panchayat area.
c
Within Vaishali District
Hajipur Nagar Parishad area and 99 villages around
Hajipur Nagar Parishad area.
d
Constituents of Patna
Urban Area
The PUA area is entirely within Patna District and
comprises of Patna Municipal Corporation Area (PMC),
and its outgrowths of Patliputra
Housing
Colony,
Digha-Mainpura,
Sabazpura,
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बहार गजट (असाधारण), 30 माच+ 2011
Khalilpura and Badalpura;
Phulwarisharif (Nagar Panchayat), Danapur Nizamut
(Nagar Parishad), Danpur
Cantonment Area, Khagaul (Nagar Parishad), and
Saidpura (Outgrowth of Khagaul).
The PUA comprises of 146.16 sq. km of land.
Landuse Assessment
Existing Land Use within Patna Urban Agglomeration Area
Landuse
Area (in
Ha)
Total Area
(in Ha)
Percentage
1
Residential
8230
60.88
Residential (planned)
438
Apartments
202
Residential/organic/unplanned
7548
Slums
112
2
Commercial
298
2.20
Commercial
134
Commercial (predominant ribbon development)
155
Agriculture Marketing Yard
9
3
Public - Semi Public
651
4.82
Administrative
211
Educational
236
Medical
154
Religious
32
Graveyards and Cremation Grounds
18
4
Recreational
212
1.56
5
Industrial
238
1.76
6
Transportation
1050
7.77
7
Water Bodies
164
1.14
8
Agriculture
2591
18.88
9
Vacant Land
145
0.99
TOTAL LAND
13579
100
Source: Interim Report of Master Plan 2021, DCL, 2006
Land in use for transportation and recreation is low at Master Plan level. They
are a little better at zonal and neighbourhood levels. Land in industries is also low as
household industries are part of mixed uses and most organized industries are within
the PRDA outside the PUA. Industrial uses are nevertheless being infused in the PUA in
addition to lungs spaces and quality institutional and commercial usage. Within the PMC
several established industrial units do exist.
Within the PUA the most densely populated wards are along the banks of river
Ganga. (301 - 900 persons per ha). The wards with lower density are along the southern
and western side where the density varies from 100 to 300 persons per ha. The
predominant land use in the PUA is residential which constitutes 60.88% of the total
area. Of this 91.7% is unplanned. About 52% of the commercial land use is predominant
ribbon development along the major roads.
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बहार गजट (असाधारण), 30 माच+ 2011
Within the PMC area, mixed land use dominates along all the major arterial
roads. Most of the Government and other Public Sector Undertakings offices are located
in the Western part of city. There is a predominance of educational uses and Social
infrastructure facilities whereas recreational use constitutes only 1.56%, and industrial
use only 1.76%.
Constraints of Growth of the PUA
The PUA being surrounded by three rivers has a constraint of growth on the
northern side due to River Ganga, southern side due to River Punpun and western side
due to River Sone. Moreover the topography of Patna is like a saucer due to the
surrounding three rivers and thus drainage of the city is a major problem, with pumping
of water as the only solution at present. The city is thus prone to flooding. The natural
growth of Patna has been towards the west. The older part of Patna or the core is on
the East side of the city (south of the river). This core area faces problems of
overcrowding, which has lead to enormous pressure on the physical infrastructure and
to traffic congestion. The newer development areas lying in the central and western
part of Patna comprise of both plotted development and apartment houses. The
apartments in the newly developed area are a strain on the existing infrastructure, as
the upgradation of physical infrastructure has not been done in proportion to the
increase in population. This has lead to problems of water supply, sewerage, drainage,
solid waste management, parking, etc.
On the southern part of Patna there are low lying areas lined along the bypass
road, which again cause a constraint to the development of the area. These areas are
being presently used for dumping of solid waste.
Demographic Profile
PUA Area had a population of 16.98 lakhs as per the 2001 Census while the PMC
had a population of 13.66 lakh (2001 Census). The growth of population in the PUA has
increased rapidly in 1991-2001. Thus, using the 1991-2001 decadal growth rate as an
indicator, the population of the PUA is expected to be 22.50 lakhs in the year 2011 and
28.01 lakhs in the year 2021. In addition the floating population who commute from the
districts to the PUA each day is expected to be 3.00 lakhs by 2021 against around 2.00
lakhs at present - the population of the PMC constitutes 80% of the population of the
PUA.
The density of population of the PMC is 137.40 persons per hectare (PPHa). The
next highest density is of Khagaul NPP, Phulwarisharif NPP and Digha-Mainpura NPP
areas respectively. The areas with high growth rate, which varies from 48-73%, are
Saidpura OG, Khalilpura OG, Digha-Mainpura OG, Danapur NPP, Phulwarisharif NPP, the
PMC, and Sabazpura OG. The extraordinary growth rate of Saidpura is due to the
increase of its area. The growth rates of the outgrowth areas exceed that of the PMC.
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बहार गजट (असाधारण), 30 माच+ 2011
Economic Characteristics
The total workers population of PUAA was 25.2% of its total population in 2001.
The male worker population was 3.8 lakhs (41.4%) and that of females it was 0.45 lakhs
(5.8%). This is less than the percentage of workers population in the Bihar state which
was 33% in 2001. This indicates that 74.8% of the population is dependent. It also
indicates a high percentage of part time and supplemental jobs, common among those
below the poverty line.
Among workers, 77% are in the other workers category which includes
offices/institutional workers and business. The characteristics of employment of the
main other workers include:
a) Trade and Commerce
Patna is an important commercial center and due to its central position at the
junction of the three rivers it has the additional advantage of transport of goods by
river. Other trade centers within the PUA are located in Danapur, Khagaul,
Phulwarisharif and its surrounding areas. The commercial establishments are lined along
the major roads of the PUA area.
The most important commodities manufactured, imported and exported in PUAA are
shown in the table below:
Name of Settlement
Most Important Commodity
Manufactured
Imported
Exported
a
Patna Municipal Corporation
area
Electronic goods
Vegetables
Food grains
b
Danapur Nagar Panchayat
area
Shoes
Shoes
Iron
c
Phulwarisharif
Nagar
Panchayat area
Cotton
Yarn
Cotton
Source: Urban Basic Services for the Poor: Patna District of Bihar, NIC, 2003
The municipal corporation area comprises of large business quarters namely,
Marufganj, Masurganj, Mirchiyaganj, Maharajaganj, etc. Within the PMC there are
several wholesale markets for vegetables and agricultural goods but none of them have
been planned nor do they have any waste management systems. This leads to
congestion of traffic, mismanagement of solid waste disposal system, and chaos within
the city area. The agricultural market is also placed at the eastern tip of the town and
this causes major congestion on the bypass road as the trucks are parked for delivery of
goods which again leads to congestion on the bypass road.
The commercial establishments within the city are mainly lined along the arterial
and major roads and there is extensive mixed land use of commercial and residential
use throughout the city.
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बहार गजट (असाधारण), 30 माच+ 2011
b) Industries
Patna had been famous in the past for its handicraft which has commanded
respect of foreign markets on account of their finish, generally attributable to master
craftsmen who have exhibited their skill from generation to generation. Besides,
potters, carpenters, blacksmiths, coppersmiths and goldsmiths have been carrying on
their traditional occupations both in rural as well as urban areas, to earn their living.
However, under the impact of modern economy, these activities are static. The
large industrial establishments include:
• ShriLakshmi Cold Storage Ltd., Patna Municipal Corporation
• Pradip Lamp Works, Patna Urban Agglomeration
• The Bihar Cotton Mills, Patna Urban Agglomeration (Phulwarisharif)
• Shri Baidynath Ayurvedic Bhavan Ltd. (Patna Urban Agglomeration)
• Hindusthan Manufacturing & Industrial Corporation Ltd., (Phulwarisharif)
• Ambuja Electocasting Ltd. Patna Municipal Corporation
• Bata India Ltd. Bataganj, Patna Municipal Corporation
• Modi Steels Ltd. Patna Municipal Corporation
There are also several brick kilns lined along the bypass road. The list of
registered industries in the PUA area show a preponderance of household and cottage
units interspersed over the core and intermediate locations of Patna.
The first Software Technology Park of Bihar has been developed at Patna by the
Bihar State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (BSEDC), the nodal agency for
development of IT industry in the State. The Govt. of Bihar is formulating and
implementing various policy initiatives and specialized infrastructure projects to place
the State on the IT map of India. Setting up of an Information Technology Park (ITP) in
the first phase in Patna, is one of them.
Patna has convenient road, rail and air connectivity with all parts of the country as
well as the bordering countries. The ITP of Patna is located in the fifteen storied
Biscomaun Tower, adjacent to the historic Gandhi Maidan and the Ganges. It has all the
ingredients to act at a catalyst for the growth of IT Industry in the State. The salient
features of the Software Technology Park of Patna include:
• Development by credible developers and designed by reputed architects, employing
quality driven construction practice.
• Location in the heart of the Central Business District.
The Biscomaun Tower is landmark of the City with excellent specialised IT and
social infrastructure facilities, ensuring “ready to move” and “quick to operate”
opportunities. However the new IT Park would be near the airport in about 50 hectares
of land.
Urban Environment
Physical Attributes
Patna district can be divided into two natural areas comprising of:-
A narrow strip of somewhat high land about 8 kms wide along the southern bank
of the Ganges having very fertile soil. This is where the PMC lies. The remaining portions
are alluvial fertile plains.
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बहार गजट (असाधारण), 30 माच+ 2011
Vegetation
The land in the district is too fertile to be left for wild growth. The district is
devoid of any forest wealth of consequence. The alluvial contents of land yields rice,
sugarcane and other food grains. The area under cultivation is studded with mango
orchads and bamboo clumps. In the fields adjoining the Ganges, weeds such as
ammannia, citriculari, hygrophile and sesbania grow. But palmyra and date palm and
mango orchards are found near habitations. Dry shrub jungles are sometimes seen in
the villages away from the rivers. Trees commonly seen are bel, siris, jackfruits and red
cotton.
Climate and Rainfall
The climate of Patna varies from 43 °C – 30 °C during the summers and 21.4 °C –
5 °C during the winters. The precipitation in Patna is 1,100 mm during the months of
June to September. It receives medium to heavy rainfall in the monsoon. Relative
humidity can go up to 100% during summer.
Natural Hazards
Patna lies in zone IV of the earthquake zones, which is a high-risk zone.
Therefore the development controls in the area requires earthquake resistant buildings.
Patna also falls in
the risk zone for
floods. A series of
bund/embankments
have
been
constructed
along
River
Punpun
to
control
the
floodwaters. During
the monsoons the
spillover from River
Ganga
tends
to
flood
Patna
and
cause
spread
of
disease.
Therefore
there is need to
channelise the river and to devise and implement a proper disaster mitigation plan.
Apart from being flood prone, Patna is also at risk due to cyclones as it lies in the wind
high damage risk zone.
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बहार गजट (असाधारण), 30 माच+ 2011
2.0 Objective of Preparation of Fire Hazard Mitigation Plan
The key objectives for preparation of this City Fire Hazard Response and Mitigation Plan
for Patna are:
1. To have a document which gives a comprehensive idea about Patna in the context of
fire hazard response
2. To have a concise document for all stake holders (Government, PMC, other services
providers, NGOs, CBOs, common people) to know the vulnerabilities and risks of the
city to fire disasters
3. To develop a ready reckoner for all the stake holders containing the roles and
responsibilities, contact details and the pre-determined plan of actions (Standard
Operating Procedures) for Fire Hazard Response and Mitigation Plan with intra and
inter-organizational well coordinated effort
4. To prepare a document for various stakeholders in disaster management for
assessing their needs for training and capacity building
5. To help stakeholders in prioritising and planning activities (e.g. developing new
policies and legislations, organizational/institutional strengthening, undertaking
research, developing realistic plans for pre-fire hazard prevention and mitigation
activities, establishing committees and networks, strengthening early warning and
information dissemination systems, preparing for response during fire disaster and
post-disaster activities
6. Mainstreaming fire hazard response and mitigation into all developmental activities
to make them sustainable
The hazard mitigation endeavours start with pre-event actions for prevention, mitigation
and preparedness. Immediate response is anticipated during occurrence of a disaster.
On the other hand, the post-disaster steps account for rehabilitation, reconstruction,
gathering of information and reconciliation.
During the process specific roles for planning, implementation and monitoring of the
proposed mitigation measures have been defined in terms of
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बहार गजट (असाधारण), 30 माच+ 2011
1. Awareness generation, Training and Capacity building of people at all levels (from
administration to grass root level)
2. Strengthening and improvement of existing infrastructure
o Control Room
o Water Supply
3. An effective Information Dissemination System
4. Enactment and enforcement of legislations
3.0 Existing arrangements for addressing fire hazards
Due mainly to the ignorance of people, damages/losses due to Fire are common
in city life. In most of the cases, fire becomes a considerable hazard in the congested
market places where inflammable articles are used, sold or stored violating the related
rules. Domestic fire is also very common but the losses are comparatively small. In both
the cases of domestic or commercial fires, small fire starts from short circuit or negligent
act of some person and then spreads out to adjoining places giving it a big shape. When
fire becomes bigger and uncontrollable, emergency evacuation of men as well as
materials becomes necessary but it also gets disturbed or becomes impossible due to
want of adequate spaces or alternative escape routes in the building. So, risk of disaster
due to fire remains inherent in the very construction or use of the building in most cases
apart from the fact that preventive tools as fire extinguishers, sand, gunny bags, etc. are
not kept ready in hand as preparedness measure. Notwithstanding occurrences of so
many fire disasters, even emergency contact numbers of Fire Services Stations are not
kept by majority of the people.
The Bihar Fire Services Act 1948 forms the basis of operations of services. The
primary responsibilities in the context of handling fire hazards are as follows:
1 Extinguishing fires and performing rescue jobs to save lives and properties of public
from fire and other calamities
2 Recommendation in favour of fire and life safety measures in different types of high
risk buildings/commercial establishments for achieving adequate fire precautions
3 Increasing public awareness in terms of fire safety through public education,
training, demonstration and other programs
4 Rendering services like dewatering jobs, in water logged areas, deployment of fire
service on stand-by duty on different occasions like big exhibitions, fairs, VIP visits,
etc.
The existing system is basic and not in line with prescribed standards. At present
there are 6 fire stations in Patna – in reality there are 4 functional stations; these are:
-
Lodipur – near New Patna Police Lines
-
Kankarbagh – near Kankarbagh Police Station
-
Phulwarisharif – this station does not have any land or buildings and is being
serviced from the Kankarbagh Station
-
Patna City – near Anand Cinema Hall
-
Danapur
-
Old Secretariat – this is under construction
The staff position in these stations is limited. The staff availability is as follows:
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बहार गजट (असाधारण), 30 माच+ 2011
Position
Sanctioned
Existing
Vacant
Fire Station Officer
5
3
2
Station Officer
3
2
1
Leading Fire Man
15
15
0
Havaldar Driver
13
10
3
Fireman/Driver
2
6
4(on contract)
Fireman
65
38
27
The existing equipment and the shortage as per norms is summarized below:
Type of Equipment Existing
Norm
Shortfall
Water Tender
12
1 per 50,000 population
27
Foam Tender
3
Rescue Tender
1
1 per 3 lakh population
4
Jeep Tender
6
Portable Pump
5
Fires are common and in fact, more than 100 instances is the annual average. In
Patna alone, the details in the last 5 years are as follows:
Year
Number of fires
2005
551
2006
480
2007
374
2008
440
2009
456
2010
563
There is need to augment the fire services not just in terms of equipment but
also manpower to meet the growing needs of the city. Further, there is need to
augment capacities to deal with incidents in high rise buildings that are becoming
increasingly common.
4.0 The Road Ahead for the Holistic Fire Mitigation Plan
To facilitate sustainable economic growth through Fire hazard risk reduction and
mitigation, the following themes are envisaged:
1.
Ensuring that existing and upcoming industrial assets and infrastructure are fire
disaster-resistant
2.
Ensuring proper siting of industrial establishments considering hazard
parameters
3.
Making industrial processes and procedures inherently safe
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4.
Ensuring that transportation, storage handling and usage of Chemicals and other
hazardous raw materials does not pose a threat to the nearby areas and
environment
5.
Development of on-site and off-site Fire Mitigation Plans by industries in
association with the City / District administration
6.
Conducting Mock-drills at regular intervals to determine the efficacy of the
mitigation plans
7.
Preparation of inventory of corporate resources
8.
Large-scale association with awareness generation initiatives aimed at building
the knowledge, attitude and skills of the common people for a safer habitat
9.
To shift from relief-centric approach to a pro-active assault on vulnerabilities
through risk management measures and capacity building of industrial personnel
10. Assessment and retrofitting of existing industrial infrastructure
11. Training of core team of Structural Engineers for advising member industries on
requisite mitigation measures
12. Networking knowledge on best practices and tools for effective fire disaster
management
13. Development and implementation of appropriate risk transfer mechanisms
The Government of India, along with the other stake holders including the
corporate sector, have reaffirmed their commitment and resolve to achieve the object
of moving towards a disaster resilient and safe nation. The task is arduous and the
challenge ominous. However the roadmap is well defined and clear. No efforts will be
spared and no constraint would be allowed to impede the progress towards creating a
safe and disaster-free nation and the challenge thrown by the successive fire disasters
will be converted into an opportunity for further strengthening disaster risk
management measures.
5.0 Fire Hazard Mitigation Measures for Patna
Any disaster needs to be tackled through a sequence of long term mitigation
measures and short term action plans. The process of Fire Hazard Mitigation will include
simultaneous actions for improvement of infrastructure along with education,
awareness generation, training, capacity development, better preparedness, knowledge
sharing in terms of disaster risk management and recovery among all people at
community, district and state levels. Strengthening of disaster management information
system for accurate and timely dissemination of warning at national, state, district and
local levels is also an essential task.
Goals of Mitigation Strategy
• To substantially increase public awareness of disaster risk so that the public
demands safer communities to live and work; and
• To significantly reduce the risks of loss of life, injuries, economic costs, and
destruction of natural and cultural resources that result from disasters
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बहार गजट (असाधारण), 30 माच+ 2011
Fire Hazard Mitigation being an all-encompassing and multi-disciplinary activity
spanning across all the sectors of development, a coordinated action in conjunction with
all stakeholders including the corporate sector is needed for overcoming the
vulnerabilities and minimizing the risks.
6.0 Role of Bihar Fire Services in Fire Hazard Mitigation
In view of the vulnerabilities and the risk identified in the earlier sections, the
proposed/adopted mitigation measures have been discussed below:
1 Awareness generation, Training and Capacity building of people at all levels (from
administration to grass root level)
From various fire incidents in recent times in city, it is clear that there is need for
effective coordination among all involved agencies for efficient response. Therefore de-
centralized awareness and capacity building is the best possible way for fire risk
reduction and hazard response. There are plans to develop and implement a systematic
awareness and capacity building programme with a special focus on fire mitigation
measures. The awareness creation will include various campaigns providing trainings to
sensitise and inculcate concepts about disasters, safety measures, etc. among civic
police volunteers, school and college students, teachers, governmental organizations
and NGOs. The proposed calendar for the different stakeholders is as follows:
Target Group
Name of Capacity
Building Program
Key Information to be
provided
City
Representative
(72
numbers)
Sensitization program
for Mayor and other
Elected
Representative
City Disaster Policy issues and
formation
of
City
Disaster
Management Committee, roles
and responsibility distribution
etc.
Representative of Different
Departments (Fire, Police,
civil Defense, Power etc)
Inter
sectoral
co-
ordination meeting
for any fire hazard
prevention
All relevant departments need
to decide their roles and
responsibility in case of fire and
emergency.
PMC
departmental
key
officials
Sensitization program
for Key officials of
different departments
of PMC
Major Disaster of City, fire
response and preparedness
Respective department level
Fire
hazard
response
plan
preparation
Town Planners/ Engineer/
Architects
Sensitization of Town
Planner on Techno-
legal regime
Issues
related
with
Fire
Prevention in Hazard Resistant
Technology
Civic Police Volunteer
Disaster
Risk
Reduction
Training
including fire hazard
response
and
mitigation
Mock Drill on fire fighting and
rescue techniques
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बहार गजट (असाधारण), 30 माच+ 2011
School
level
Training
(municipal schools in PMC
area)
Disaster
Risk
Reduction
Training
including fire hazard
response
and
mitigation
Mock Drill on fire prevention
and rescue techniques
Municipal Health Workers/
Sanitary
workers/
SHG
members
Disaster
Risk
Reduction
Training
including fire hazard
response
and
mitigation
Fire hazard preparedness and
response
Knowledge
Institutions/
colleges
Disaster
Risk
Reduction
Training
including fire hazard
response
and
mitigation
Mock Drill on fire fighting and
rescue techniques
Slum level
(Slum pockets of PMC area)
Disaster
Risk
Reduction
Training
including fire hazard
response
and
mitigation
Mock Drill on fire fighting and
rescue techniques
Preparation of De-centralized
Slum
disaster
Management
Plan
For formulating an effective fire mitigation plan, evacuation drills and mock drills are
necessary for avoiding severe loss when the fire hazard actually strikes. The following
significant modules for fire hazard mitigation & capacity building programme identified
are as follows
Module for fire risk reduction and
management
Methodology
Services rendered by Emergency Services
provider departments (Fire & Emergency
Services, Police, Civil Defense, Patna
Municipal Corporation etc.) during and
after disaster.
Causes and Prevention of Fire. (Lecture).
Audio visuals, Interactive session, mock
drill
Emergency
Information
&
Warning,
Measures for Fire Prevention, Protecting
houses/schools from fire hazard, De-
activating live Electrical Lines, Simple fire
prevention tips, Uses of fire protection
equipments
&
tools
(e.g.
Fire
Alarm). (Lecture & Demonstration).
Audio visuals, Interactive session, mock
drill
Emergency Evacuation of School Building –
-Search & Rescue operation from Ground
and upper (1st /2nd) Floors / Roof. Uses of
Simple Rescue Tools and Equipments –
Ropes, Liver, Jack, Pulley, Stretcher, Ladder
Audio visuals, Interactive session, mock
drill, group work
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बहार गजट (असाधारण), 30 माच+ 2011
etc. Control of Small Fire, use of different
kinds of Fire Extinguishers. (Lecture,
Demonstration & Practical).
Institution wise Fire Disaster Management
Plan
Group work
The Bihar Fire Services undertakes fire safety and awareness weeks every year. In this
week advertisements are released on various issues of fire safety including ‘do’s and
don’ts’ in response to fires.
2 Strengthening and improvement of existing infrastructure
Infrastructure improvement has been examined in terms of real time management of
any fire hazard in the region. For effectuating better services and improving the efficacy
level:
• In order to improve the response time to 3-7 minutes, there is need to increase the
number of fire tenders. Even by the 2001 population standards, there is a shortage
of 27 fire tenders. Further to reduce the response time, there is also need to
increase the number of fire stations. 7 new fire stations should be constructed as
follows:
• Sipara Area
• Patliputra Industrial Development Area
• Malsalami Area
• Agamkuan Area
• Fatuha Industrial Development Area
• Bihta CTI (a Fire Services Training Institute is under construction here)
• Khagaul Area
For these fire stations, there is need to procure equipment. The minimum equipment
that is needed includes 2 Advanced Foam Tenders and 12 Water Tenders Type B. For
this INR Rs. 400 lakh is required.
• The Bihar Fire Services has no specialized equipment to deal with industrial fires. In
view of the growth of Patna both in terms of population and industries, there is need
to initiate procurement of equipment that will help meet emergencies. For this, 1
Hazmat Van to be procured for INR 600 lakh.
• The population growth and development of Patna will result in increase in multi-
storied apartments. The Bihar Fire Services has no 54m working height hydraulic
platform and turntable ladder. For this INR 700 lakh is being budgeted.
• As a means to tackle fire response in view of the shortage of stations and tenders,
there is a plan to install 7 fire hydrants at various locations. For this INR 70 lakh is
being budgeted.
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3 Ensuring Stricter Enforcement of Relevant Rules & Regulations
• Periodic review of the mitigation initiatives taken at identified vulnerable locations
of the city will be undertaken.
• Shifting of storages and hazardous units from residential areas: As a matter of policy,
storage and processing of hazardous material that can cause fire in residential areas,
is normally prohibited. However, looking at the present situation, a conscious effort
to encourage such units to move out from the residential area will need a package of
incentives and subsequent enforcement. The Fire Services will encourage that this
exercise be done in consultation with the Patna Municipal Corporation including a
strategy for phased implementation.
• Communication and Public Information Systems:
A lot of community education, awareness building, plan dissemination and
preparedness exercises have to precede if a meaningful fire hazard mitigation
plan is to be made operational. Involvement of citizen’s groups, NGOs and CBOs
in plan dissemination and preparedness is going to be one of the crucial
elements.
Additionally, familiarity with warning systems and regular drills to respond to
such a system and specific do’s and don’ts for the community during the fire
situation have also been suggested.
Existing public address systems of mosques, temples, railway and bus stations
etc. will have to be well coordinated and strengthened furthermore to have an
integrated effective public address system to be used for early warning and
information dissemination. The organizers of various local festivals should also
be suitably involved.
• Implementation of PMC Building Rules: Building Byelaws have been drafted
establishing rules for sanction of plans. These will be examined to ensure that
compliance with fire mitigation measures is made mandatory.
• Control of Spread of Slums and Informal Squatter Settlements: The slums are highly
vulnerable to various disasters including fire hazards due to use of poor construction
materials, non conformity with the fire safety measures, weak structural base their
vulnerable locations and lack of awareness. In order to reduce such impacts, the
integrated improvement of the slums which provides quality secured shelter along
with safe drinking water, sanitation and drainage facilities are being taken up by
PMC under various government programmes. Efforts to integrate fire mitigation
measures will be made.
4 An effective Information Dissemination System:
Gradually the Fire Services should strive to become a beneficiary of the program
for country-wide information network system taken up as a national initiative. Under
this initiative, the state Emergency Operation Centre will be provided with V-sat
16
बहार गजट (असाधारण), 30 माच+ 2011
facilities for unfailing connectivity with the rest of India during any disaster. There is
need for close coordination with the Disaster Management Department of the
Government of Bihar so as to get warning, information and other emergency assistance.
Also for efficient co-ordination and effective response, communication amongst
government, NGO/private stakeholder departments/organizations is essential and
should be given very high priority. Additionally, familiarity with warning systems and
regular drills to respond to such a system and specific do’s and don’ts for the
community during the disaster situation have also been suggested and agencies are to
be assigned to undertake such tasks.
The GIS mapping of all infrastructural facilities and utilities in Patna is needed to
allow public safety personnel to effectively plan for emergency response, determine
mitigation priorities, analyze historical events, and predict future events. GIS can be
used to deliver critical information to incident responders upon dispatch or while
enroute to an emergency to assist in tactical planning. There is therefore a need to
develop a GIS on a scale of 1:1000.
7.0 Summary of Budget for Equipments
EQUIPMENT
ESTIMATED COST
Type
Rate
Quantity
Fire Tender
Rs. 25,00,000
12
Rs. 300 lakh
Advanced Foam
Tender
Rs. 50,00,000
2
Rs. 100 lakh
Hazmat Van
Rs. 6,00,00,000
1
Rs. 600 lakh
Hydraulic platform
cum turntable ladder
54m working height
Rs. 7,00,00,000
1
Rs. 700 lakh
Fire hydrant
Rs. 10,00,000
7
Rs. 70 lakh
TOTAL
Rs. 1770 lakh
————
अधी-क, सिचवालय मुिणालय,
बहार, पटना ारा ूकािशत एवं मु1ित।
बहार गजट (असाधारण) 108-571+10-ड0ट0पी0।
Website: http://egazette.bih.nic.in
