Daily Times

KARACHI: The Fire Brigade Department of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has been segregated from Municipal Services Department of the entity after 17 years.

This measure has been taken after prolonged poor performance of the fire department and not being accountable for its deeds to any of the authority in the civic entity.

Now Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Tahseen Ahmad would be responsible for the activity of the department and answerable to Municipal Commissioner KMC. Earlier fire department was bound to report Director Administration of the civic entity.

Municipal Commissioner has issued a notification on this effect on the directives of Waseem Akhtar, Major Karachi, officials KMC have informed.

Following the structural change of the department, CFO has vowed to render the fire related services to city in better manner. Besides all recruitment in future would be made on merit, he has asserted.

Henceforth administrative arrangements would be implemented with immediate effect.

CFO would be solely responsible as head of fire brigade department for complete operation and maintenance.

Administratively USAR would remain a part of fire brigade. The team leader, commander USAR would now report to CFO and responsible for each specific structure collapse incident.

Project Engineer of fire brigade would be responsible for all mechanical works with coordination of CFO and report to MC KMC.

The MC secretariat would be technically supported by fire brigade in house consultant.

Zulfiqar Shah, President Collective Bargaining Agent KMC has maintained that this decision would put positive impact on the overall performance of Fire Brigade Department after becoming independent.

The annual budget of the department stands around Rs 301 million with an employment of 1,353 persons including 33 officials. During this fiscal year around Rs 50 million were allocated for machinery repairs. Besides an income of Rs 10 million annually generates on different heads. There are 21 fire stations housing 48 fire tenders. These vehicles are 25 years old and need regular maintenance.

Meanwhile, Syed Tasneem Ahmed, Director Civil and Fire Brigade Department has been relieved from his post and directed to report to Human Resource Management.

Besides Masood Alam, senior Director Municipal Services has also been removed from his post and would likely be made senior Director Coordination Mayor Secretariat.

Published in Daily Times, December 3^rd 2017.