NATIONAL FIRE COLLEGE, NAGPUR

             
It was on my routine visit to the State  Information Office, Nagpur.  The office is situated in Civil Lines. As a journalist by profession,  there are so many good friends of mine in this civil lines area since all the govt. offices are there, including Police Commiserates. Therefore, I decided to go to the Public Works office to meet with the Superintending Engineer and have tea with him. But Supdt. Engineer, Mr. Bhanuse was busy in GANAPATI Pooja. And I  avoided meeting him even though I saw him in person but neglected to talk to him.   I saw him with a prasad plate in his hand. Actually, it was GANAPATI PRASAD BHOJAN, in his office at Secretariat Building, Nagpur. So I presumed that the department as such may be busy in GANAPATI BHOJAN POOJA. The  Chief Engineer, PWD office was out of station, I was told and there was no other work for me on that day.    So I made my dash to National Fire College, which is now at the other end of the city.  I came out from the secretariat  building and took a stop to confirm the road, which will take me to NFC.  It is there before your eyes, opposite to you,  said the man when I stopped my scooter to ask a man assembled there at the road. …. It is not this one sir. It is! … said they all assembled men in one voice.I raised the question mark and spoke. The man repeated, … it is Fire College sir.  He  asked the other man behind, and they both looked at me, as Gawar … unable to read  RASHTRIYA  AGNISHAMAK  VIDYALAYA painted wall. AFTER MY CALA PILA CHEHRA. I raced  my scooter and stopped at about two electric poles then.  Got my scooter, stopped at one of  the roads, and remembered my college days I  spent in this civil area.       Actually, at a young age, I witnessed this road. I recollected  the year 1972-1973. I was a student then of Hislop College, Nagpur. At that time, this college was on the next one square opposite to the civil court and was behind the one corner  “Nagpur Akashwani”.      There was DAHASHAT, and there you will see no man in the civil lines area after 5.30 P.M…after 6.00 p.m. you will see no men foot print here because Govt. offices closed at around 5.30.  It was a restricted area, in those days, I was told   … by the majority of the men. I am aware of it today as well. So we students used to talk about police and punishment, if we moved in that area. But one evening, my classmates’ scooter got punctured, and he took me to Akashwani Square along with him to push-of his scooter, as a help. Sir, going through big bungalows (Karod Pati Galli) of rich men and Mayor Kinkhede bungalow … at the other end.  I witnessed this National  Fire College, red building at both sides. On the other side, there was DGPT Buildings and is still an identical building. It was a Post & Telephone building but now it is the Postal department. This building is identical with the same color, structure and shape but now it is on  the verge of demolition, I have heard.  Anyhow, we  paid 4 times the bill for one puncture since the PUNCTURE WALA  wanted an extra amount for fire to be lit. He charged us for coal to fire-up his BHATTI  AGAIN.       After witnessing a British times red Building and the tower of an Akashwni opposite to it a cement concrete wall of civil court with sharpened Iron rods fencing, possibly not to make it possible to jump, when the offices closed. But for  me it was EVENING IN PARIS. Because then, at that time there was no fencing to my house, nor was my house in  the building and was without street lights on to twinkle. Here in civil lines Street lights were all on and the red tickling lights of Akashwani made me think of touching the Akashwani High Heighted Tower, made me to remember that particular day … passing an airplane above our head on that particular time made me thought of JANNAT in the sky above and on land there was before me a TAPPARI MADE WITH BAMBOOS to stand.       Today, I drove to NATIONAL FIRE COLLEGE, Raj Nagar, Nagpur. When I took a right turn from the corner of MSEB, Head Office, I found  ZOPDIS with no facilities for the men living there.  The vast area of National Fire College has two or three big gates, to move two cars at a time through each one. My left turn at the Raj Nagar Square was in fact national garibi to me since all around the vast concrete fencing. It’s a colony of leader Prakash Gajbhiye, without water and lavatory, someone said.      I made my entry after registering my name as a visiting journalist, and wrote my mobile number in the column specified in the visitor book. Made my entry restricted for half an hour at the gate since the P.A. of the director’s phone was busy, the security person told me.    At the age of 70, I took a chair to sit. Entertained by two three Hariyanvi people, who were there for their admissions. But it crossed my limit of waiting, and I asked KISKI SECURITY HAI. They told me about POONA BASE security. And I asked them to take my visiting card to the principal of College, who must have joined a new incumbent before a month or so.     I met the new principal/director of the college, Mr. Nagesh Bhunjagrao Shigane, Ex-CGM (Fire Service) who came from ONGC, Uran, Panvel, Mumbai I am told. I conveyed to him again about my visit to his question ” KAM KYA HAI.” and I replied that I don’t have any work. I just came to college since I am the ex- guest lecturer. Sir, … I am the ex- guest lecturer, and still, my friendship continues with the ex- directors as well. After a talk, I asked for his visiting card, and he told me that his cell is not for people, it is his personal property, and he told me that the college number I should get from his P.A.      Principal of the National Fire College, Mr.  Nagesh Shingane was not out of the way and was good to me in my formal visit to the college. He served me water,  since  I asked for it. Maybe he could not have separated his line of thinking between the visiting ex- students and visiting ex- guest lecturers. Who is a Srn. Journalist as well. He could not understand between the lines of two separate personalities.  He might have become the principal of the Fire College where he himself was a student at one time. He is lucky since he could manage the affairs to come here to his hometown which is going to end on the last day of February 2026. That way he is from Buldana. He may have no home here at Nagpur since he stays at the college guest house.       Principal sahab, there is a vast difference between your last services with this coveted post. I know this college stopped giving entry to foreigners because we Indian teacher’s were incompetent  to teach them. Secondly, now the scenario has changed politically as well. The building of the old fire college was the tallest within its surrounding area in Civil Lines. But here, the surrounding area is not like a  Civil Area. Sir, when I was a student, I could not have dreamed of moving in civil areas, now I should boast of playing with Dr. K.C.Wadhava,  a badminton in fire college hostel, before our dinners, when I used to come as a guest lecturer. Where ” AAM  AADMI” dare not move in this area. But see, nowadays people  have their  zopadies all around the fencing at your new college building. And at last, even if your discipline man and restrictions are there for employees to come in time or to lose one day after marking three lates you will have to gain the college reputation again. I should repeat one thing here again that your one predecessor could not get his pension for the reason known to us. Even college had to change a petrol pump for the reason of fake bills. The petrol pump was changed since the officers of the college put extra bills of own vehicles, it is said.      Mr. Principal, hope your vision could give a new look to this college not into its versatility not in its disciplines, not your AWARA in looks. But you may be able to put in a sense of inner call of versatility to run the institution’s good name & Fame, that it was in the old days.      Go on making the fire college do stands like on Malbar hills, Raisina  hills, or this one at Nagpur Seminary hills, even if you are at the foot of Seminary Hills, at Nagpur. “Make its address of Raj Nagar and put on record the address of it Govt. Koti Square, Behind the MSEB office. If you can. Scenario does not look like the National Fire College, if someone came there to visit to see you.