Chapter III Chapter III

Control and Discipline of Assam Fire and Emergency Services

The Government may call for such returns, reports and statements on any subject connected with fire prevention and life safety, maintenance of order and the performance of duties by the Director or any other Fire Officers, and the same shall be furnished immediately.

Every Fire Officer shall for all purposes of this Act be deemed to be always on duty and any Fire Officer or any member of the Service or crew of Fire Officers allocated for duty in any part of the State may, if the Director so directs, at any time, be employed on turn out duty in any other part of the state for so long as the services of the Fire Officer or any member of Services or crew of Fire Officers may be required in such other part of the State.

11.

1. (1) Without prejudice to the provisions of any other law on the subject for the time being in force, the Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, declare the Assam Fire and Emergency Services to be an essential service to the community.
2. (2) A declaration made under sub-section
3. (1) above, shall remain in force for the time period as notified by the Government and may be extended from time to time by a like notification.
4. (3) Upon a declaration being made under sub-section
5. (1) above and so long as it remains in force, it shall be the duty of every Fire Officer to obey an order given by any superior officer in relation to any employment in connection with the services specified in the declaration.

12. Notwithstanding any action which may be taken under the provisions of this Act, any member of the services who-

1. (1) is found to be guilty of any violation of duty or willful breach of any provision of this Act or any rule or order made there under; or
2. (2) is found to be guilty of cowardice; or
3. (3) withdraws or abstains from the duties of his office without permission; or
4. (4) being absent on leave fails without reasonable cause to report himself for duty on expiration of such leave; or
5. (5) accepts any other employment or office or engages himself in business in contravention of the provision of the Assam State Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1965. shall be punishable with penalty as specified in the Assam Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1964.

13. The powers, functions and privileges vested in a Fire Officer shall remain suspended while such Fire Officer is under suspension from office: Provided that notwithstanding such suspension, such person shall not cease to be a Fire Officer and shall continue to be subject to the control of same authorities to which he would have been if, he had not been under suspension.

14.

1. (1) No member of the Assam Fire and Emergency Services shall, without the previous sanction in writing of the Government or of the prescribed authority,-
   • (a) be a member of, or be associated in any way with, any union, labour union, political association or with any class of trade union, labour union or political association;
   • (b) be a member of, or be associated in any way with any social institution, association, or organization that is not recognized as a part of the Assam Fire and Emergency Services or is not purely of a social, technical, recreational or religious nature; or
   • (c) communicate with the press or publish or cause to be published any book, letter or other document except where such communication or publication is in the bona-fide discharge of his duties or is of a purely literary, artistic or scientific character. Explanation: If any question arises as to whether any society, institution, association, organization is of a purely social, technical, recreational or religious nature under clause
   • (b) above of this sub-section, the decision of the Government thereon shall be final.
2. (2) No member of the Services shall participate in, or address any meeting or take part in any demonstration organized by anybody or persons for any political purposes or for such other purposes as may be prescribed.