The urban development & housing department had last month held a meeting of various chief fire officers from the corporation, inviting suggestions for setting up an administrative body.

Sources said the state government was also seriously thinking of framing its own set of guidelines, given that Gujarat did not have a fire services act, unlike most other states, nor did it have a regulatory body.

The board plans to cater to the needs of setting up fire stations in the state and also establishing a training college for firemen and fire officers.

He said the idea was mooted to form such a body after the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) decided to levy fire taxes for high-rise buildings and industrial estates in and around the city. But the proposal is still pending before the standing committee.

Another consideration was the difference of opinion between the administrative wing and the political wing in levying fire-safety norms for high-rise in Ahmedabad. The administrative wing was all set to implement fire-safety norms according to the National Building Code, but the elected wing was creating hitches.

The meeting was attended by Jatin Modi, president of the All-India Institute of Local Self-Governments, director of municipalities, director of civil defence, chief fire officers from Ahmedabad and Rajkot, Indian Petro Chemcial Limited, Gujarat State Fertilizers Corporation, and Gujarat Refinery. The retired chief fire officer of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) was also invited for the meeting.