'Need to inculcate preventive culture to mitigate problems caused by disaster'
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR

Imphal, July 29 2016 : There is a need to create a preventive culture among the general public in the State to deal with disaster situation, said Jason A Shimray, Secretary Relief and Disaster Management Department.

Manipur being a State which is very vulnerable to natural disasters of any kind, as it is situated in a highly seismic zone, there is a need to collectively respond to any disaster striking the State, he continued.

The Secretary was interacting with media persons yesterday as part of the series of press conference organized by DIPR to highlight the development activities taken up by different departments of the Government of Manipur.

Stressing on the need to develop a collaborative mechanism to deal with disaster, he sought the involvement of all sections of society.

Shimray also felt that the media as well as the DIPR have a major role in the event of any major disaster befalling the State in terms of disseminating reliable information which will go a long way in helping the relief, rescue and rehabilitation operations.

To spread awareness and to equip the general public to deal with disaster situations, the department has undertaken intensive and extensive awareness programmes.

In short, the main activities of the Department as of now is imparting training on basic disaster management to enhance disaster preparedness among the general public under the scheme/programme of capacity building.

Since its inception in 2006, Relief and Disaster Management Department has so far trained 5210 persons which include community volunteers, NCC, ASHA and nursing students.

It conducted general awareness programme at 240 schools, trained 385 master trainers on disaster management.

It has also trained 12000 police personnel on disaster management and 42 district level officers on disaster management plan preparation.

The National School Safety Programme (NSSP) was conducted in 200 schools each in Imphal East district and Chandel district during 2011-12 and 2012-13 with a total fund allocation of Rs 1,73,43,264.This programme was implemented by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in partnership with Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India.

Shimray further informed that the Manipur Fire and Emergency Service will be the first to respond to any disaster situation in the State.

The general public can also contact the 10 emergency operating centres opened across the State.

Besides, the DCs of each district have been made Deputy Controller of civil defence to strengthen civil defence for better coordination among the different agencies tasked to deal with disaster situation.

As per the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the Relief and Disaster Management consists of two administrative wings viz Relief and Disaster Management and Civil Defence set up as a separate Department in 2006.A State Disaster Management Authority mandated to lay down policies and plan for disaster management in the State has been set up with the Chief Minister, DCs and District Disaster Management Authority in all the nine districts.

Also under the provisions of the same Act, a State Disaster Response Force was also established but unfortunately it has only 38 personnel at present who are under deputation from police department at present.

35 of these personnel have been trained at Civil Defence College, Nagpur and North East Police Academy at Shillong.

Shimray while agreeing that the number of personnel is far from adequate considering the vulnerability to disasters of Manipur, said the financial situation of the State do not allow for any fresh recruitment while the law and order situation prohibits more deputations from the police department.

The State is required to raise one battalion of SDRF.

There is also a plan to station a unit of NDRF for which the Government is actively looking to acquire land to house this unit.

India has 10 battalion of NDRF which are supposed to be one of the best trained in the world.

In the devastating earthquake of 6.7 in Richter Scale which hit the State on January 4, 2016 and in which lives of 10 persons were lost and 120 persons were injured, 91 NDRF personnel from Guwahati were deployed for rescue operation.

To meet the urgent requirement of the Deputy Commissioners during relief operations, providing relief materials, ex-gratia payment and reconstruction of the fully and partially damage private houses, a sum of Rs 14.41 crore has been released to the Deputy Commissioners of the districts.

The Prime Minister of India has also released a sum of Rs 30.50 lakh as ex-gratia payment to the families of deceased persons and seriously injured persons.

Comment