The severe drought has left fire stations in Coimbatore literally high and dry.

With borewell water levels depleting, the department proposes to deepen some of the wells.

The State is facing one of the worst droughts in 120 years. In Coimbatore, though the corporation and the district administration are providing water, people are forced to depend on private water companies, said social activist A Kuppuraj.

The situation has put the fire stations in a fix as this is also time when fire accidents are higher, he added.

The department was depending on private water firms and the corporation to fill its tankers. It was also decided to deepen the borewells, said Coimbatore South Fire Station Officer P Annadurai.

Coimbatore is considered the Manchester of South India. Controlling a fire in the city under these drought conditions is difficult. Abroad there are several technologies to put out fires without water. But that is not the case here.

This calls for improving fire-fighting technologies here, he added.

“Every year we send a proposal for developing and adding new technologies and equipment. But this is routine work.

The State government recently announced new fire stations in KinathuKadavu and Sulur areas here. We had sent the proposal as population in these areas was growing,” Annadurai added.

People point out that city streets are narrow and in case of a blaze, movement of fire engines along these roads will be difficult.

To this, he said that the Coimbatore South fire station had two firefighting motorcycles. In case of fire along narrow streets, these bikes would be pressed into service. The department has requested for more such motorcycles, he said.