Hazaribag’s fire services are operating with 15 personnel against 35 sanctioned posts ahead of Durga Puja, raising concerns over pandal inspections and emergency response across the district. The shortage is especially acute in Hazaribag Sadar subdivision, where 186 pandals are expected to attract thousands of devotees.
The district fire department has seven fire tenders stationed at Hazaribag Sadar and Barhi fire stations. Officials have warned that the available deployment could be stretched if multiple incidents occur at the same time during the festival.
Hazaribag Sadar fire station covers 11 blocks and has four tenders, including two large and two small vehicles. However, it has only 10 personnel against 23 sanctioned posts. Several areas under the station’s jurisdiction are located far from the district headquarters, creating concerns over the time required to reach an emergency.
Barhi fire station covers five blocks and has three tenders — one large and two small. The station has three personnel against five sanctioned posts. The manpower shortage has affected plans to station a fire tender at Barkattha during the festival.
“The manpower crunch had stalled plans to deploy a fire tender at Barkattha during the festival. Inspecting all pandals has also become difficult due to the shortage,” Barhi fire station officer in-charge Dilip Kumar Sahu said, according to the report.
The staffing gap also affects the operation of fire tenders. Sadar subdivision fire officer Shailendra Kishore said adequate personnel were essential for operating the vehicles and handling emergencies. “The department is working with available resources to ensure smooth and safe celebrations,” he said.
The fire department has issued safety guidelines to puja committees and written to police station in-charges to ensure compliance. The instructions include proper electrical wiring, adequate fire extinguishers and unobstructed emergency exits at pandals.
The staffing figures show that the department is short of 20 personnel across the district’s sanctioned strength. At Sadar station, the gap is 13 posts, while Barhi has two vacant sanctioned positions. The department’s immediate festival arrangements therefore depend on the available staff, existing tenders and coordination with local police and puja committees.
The reported deployment constraints are significant because the Sadar station’s jurisdiction includes multiple blocks beyond the district headquarters, while the largest concentration of festival activity is expected in Hazaribag town. The department’s stated next steps are to use available resources, circulate safety requirements and work with police authorities to support compliance at the pandals.
