By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy The AP Fire and Emergency Services Department will not recruit HIV positive men in the fire force.
The state government has amended service rules to keep out HIV positive men from the fire force as it did in the case of the police two years ago.
Similarly, the fire service also decided to continue with its practice of not recruiting women as fire fighters though the police had done away with similar rules. These specifications are present in the new AP Fire Subordinate Service Rules for recruitment of station fire officers, firemen and driver operators. Apart from physical and written tests, men have to take a medical test too to be considered for the posts.
As per rules, those who are HIV positive, physically handicapped, are flat-footed, or have pigeon chests and wobbly knees cannot be considered for the post. The rule also bans recruitment of those who suffer from abnormal psychological behaviour.
AP State AIDS Control Society had opposed the discrimination against HIV positive people in police and fire services department. It also moved court but the government stuck to its stance.
Interestingly, the director general of the predominantly male fire and emergency services department is a woman IPS official, Ms Aruna Bahuguna. She said HIV positive men were not eligible as per government rules and added that women won’t be considered either while recruiting for posts of 1,116 ‘firemen’ since firefighting needs lot of physical stamina.
“The fire-fighter has to break doors, windows, walls and climb up and down buildings,” she said. “They sometimes have to carry the victims out. Moreover, these posts are only for firemen.” She added that women might be considered for the posts of driver and fire station officers.
An APSACS official pointed out that there were several High Court judgments terming discrimination against HIV positive people to be irrational and unconstitutional.
“Even a bill to safeguard the rights of HIV positive people is being charted out,” he said. “HIV is not AIDS.” However, a senior police officer said that when even a slight squint or bad teeth was a disqualification for joining the police and fire force, it would be absurd to recruit an HIV positive person.
“They would not be able to withstand rigorous training because of the decreasing immunity,” he added
The state government has amended service rules to keep out HIV positive men from the fire force as it did in the case of the police two years ago.
Similarly, the fire service also decided to continue with its practice of not recruiting women as fire fighters though the police had done away with similar rules. These specifications are present in the new AP Fire Subordinate Service Rules for recruitment of station fire officers, firemen and driver operators. Apart from physical and written tests, men have to take a medical test too to be considered for the posts.
As per rules, those who are HIV positive, physically handicapped, are flat-footed, or have pigeon chests and wobbly knees cannot be considered for the post. The rule also bans recruitment of those who suffer from abnormal psychological behaviour.
AP State AIDS Control Society had opposed the discrimination against HIV positive people in police and fire services department. It also moved court but the government stuck to its stance.
Interestingly, the director general of the predominantly male fire and emergency services department is a woman IPS official, Ms Aruna Bahuguna. She said HIV positive men were not eligible as per government rules and added that women won’t be considered either while recruiting for posts of 1,116 ‘firemen’ since firefighting needs lot of physical stamina.
“The fire-fighter has to break doors, windows, walls and climb up and down buildings,” she said. “They sometimes have to carry the victims out. Moreover, these posts are only for firemen.” She added that women might be considered for the posts of driver and fire station officers.
An APSACS official pointed out that there were several High Court judgments terming discrimination against HIV positive people to be irrational and unconstitutional.
“Even a bill to safeguard the rights of HIV positive people is being charted out,” he said. “HIV is not AIDS.” However, a senior police officer said that when even a slight squint or bad teeth was a disqualification for joining the police and fire force, it would be absurd to recruit an HIV positive person.
“They would not be able to withstand rigorous training because of the decreasing immunity,” he added
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