Chapter VIIGeneral and Miscellaneous

28. Bar to other employment.—No member of the Force shall engage in any employment or office whatsoever other than his duties under this Act.

29. Transfer to other area.—The Director or any officer authorised by the State Government in this behalf may, on the occasion of a fire or other emergency in any neighbouring area in which this Act is not in force, order the despatch of the members of the Force with necessary appliances and equipments to carry on fire-fighting operations such neighbouring area and thereupon notwithstanding the provisions of sub-section (3) of section 1, all the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder shall apply to such area, during the period of fire or emergency or during such period as the Director may specify.

30. Employment on other duties.—It shall be lawful for the State Government or any officer authorised by it in this behalf to employ the Force in any rescue, salvage or other work for which it is suitable by reason of its training, appliances and equipment.

31. Liability of property owner to pay compensation.—(1) Any person whose property catches fire on account of any action of his own or of his agent done deliberately or negligently shall be liable to pay compensation to any other person suffering damage to his property on account of any action taken under section 10 of this Act by any officer mentioned therein or any person acting under the authority of such officer.

(2) All claims under sub-section (1) shall be preferred to the Deputy Commissioner within thirty days from the date when the damage was caused.

(3) The Deputy Commissioner shall, after giving the parties an opportunity of being heard, determine the amount of compensation due and pass an order stating such amount and the person liable for the same, and the order so passed shall have the force of a decree of a civil court.

32. Power to obtain information.—Any officer of the Force not below the rank of officer in-charge of a fire-station may for the purpose of discharging his duties under this Act require the owner or occupier of any building or other property, to furnish information with respect to the character of such building or other property, the available water supplies and the means of access thereto and other material particulars, and such owner or occupier shall furnish all the information in his possession.

33. Power of entry.—(1) The Director or any member of the Force authorised by him in this behalf may enter any of the places specified in any notification issued under section 13 for the purpose of determining whether precautions against fire required to be taken on such place have been so taken.

(2) Save as otherwise expressly provided in this Act, no claim shall lie against any person for compensation for any damage necessarily caused by any entry under sub-section (1).

34. Consumption of water.—No charge shall be made by any local authority or other person for water consumed in fire-fighting operations by the Force.

35. No compensation for interruption of water supply.—No authority in charge of water supply in an area shall be liable to any claim for compensation for damage by