Pune: Newly Appointed Firemen Still Without Safety Gear Even After 18 Months, Rights Activists Warn of Serious Risk

Pune, 17th October 2025: More than a year and a half after joining duty, newly recruited firefighters of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) are still awaiting basic self-protection equipment, including fire suits and uniforms. The delay has already resulted in serious injuries to some of them while on duty.

According to information obtained by human rights activist Manish Deshpande through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, a total of 167 newly appointed firemen were recruited across PMC’s 23 fire sub-centres and the fire headquarters at Ganj Peth, Lohia Nagar, and the PMC warehouse department in 2024. Despite repeated requests, these employees have not yet received fire suits or other personal protective gear necessary to safeguard them during firefighting operations.

Deshpande said the negligence amounts to endangering the lives of firefighters. He has lodged complaints with PMC Commissioner, Chief Fire Officer Devendra Potphode, and PMC Workers’ Union President Uday Bhat, but claims no concrete action has been taken so far.

Human rights lawyer Advocate Asim Sarode criticised the civic body’s apathy, stating, “Not providing fire suits to firefighters is equivalent to sending them into danger unprotected. The Municipal Corporation’s indifference towards the safety of its own staff is deeply concerning.”

Sarode further urged both the PMC Commissioner and the Chief Minister of Maharashtra to intervene and take strategic policy-level decisions to resolve persistent issues in essential service departments such as the fire brigade.

In a recent incident in the Undri–Kondhwa area, two newly appointed firemen — Vishwajit Wagh and Prithviraj Khedkar — sustained severe burn injuries following a domestic gas cylinder explosion. They reportedly did not have proper fire suits at the time.

Legal expert Advocate Shriya Awale has announced plans to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Bombay High Court, alleging human rights violations due to the PMC’s continued failure to provide essential safety gear.

With the festive season approaching and fire-related emergencies expected to rise, activists warn that the lack of basic safety measures could put several lives at risk — both of firefighters and the public they serve.