(1) No member of the fire service 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 fire service or is not a 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 bonafide discharge of his duties or is of a purely literary, artistic or scientific character.
Explanation -
(1) 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) of this subsection, the decision of the Government thereon shall be final.
(2) No member of the fire service shall participate in, or address, any meeting or take part in any demonstration organized by any body or persons for any political purposes or for such other purposes as may be prescribed.
CHAPTER –IV LEVY OF FIRE TAX, FEE AND OTHER CHARGES
20. Levy of fire tax –
(1) The Government may levy a fire tax on lands and buildings which are situated in any area in which this Act is in force and on which property tax by whatever name called is levied by any local authority in that area.
(2) The fire tax shall be levied in the form of a surcharge on the property tax at such rate in terms of percentage of such property tax as the Government may by notification in the Official Gazette, determine from time to time.
21. Mode of assessment, collection, etc. of fire tax-
(1) The authorities empowered to assess, collect and enforce payment of property tax under the law authorizing the local authority of the area to levy such tax shall, on behalf of the Government and subject to any rules made under this Act, assess, collect and enforce payment of the fire tax in the same manner as the property tax is assessed, paid and collected; and for this purpose, they may exercise all or any of the powers they have under the law aforesaid and the provisions of such law including provisions relating to returns, appeals , reviews, references and penalties shall apply accordingly.
(2) Such portion of the total proceeds of the fire tax as the Government may determine shall be deducted to meet the cost of collection of the fire tax.
(3) The proceeds of the fire tax collected under this Act reduced by the cost of collection shall be paid to the Government in such manner and at such intervals as may be prescribed.
22. Fee on deployment of fire service beyond the limits of Delhi –
(1) Where members of the fire service are sent beyond the limits of any area in which this Act is in force, in order to extinguish a fire in the neighborhood of such limits on the request of any State Government or local body or fire service authority shall be liable to pay such fee as may be prescribed by the Government from to time in this behalf.
(2) The fee referred to in sub-section (1) shall be payable within one month of the service of a notice of demand by the Director on the State Government or local body or fire service authority, as the case may be, and if it is not paid within that period. It shall be recoverable as an arrear of land revenue.
23. Reciprocal fire-fighting arrangements with other fire service- The Director may, with the previous sanction of the Government enter into an agreement with any fire service or the authority which maintains the said fire service, beyond the limits of any area in which this Act is in force for providing personnel or equipment or both, for fire fighting purposes, on such terms as may be provided by or under the agreement on reciprocal basis in public interest.