Centre to set up 8 paramilitary battalions for disaster management

New Delhi, Apr 12 (UNI) The Centre has decided to set up eight battalions of paramilitary forces in four corners of the country for speedy and effective disaster management activities, Union Home Secretary V K Duggal said today.

The eight battalions of four paramilitary forces--CRPF, BSF, ITBP and CISF -- posted in East, West, Northern and Southern parts of the country, would be trained and equipped for disaster management for calamities like cyclone, floods and earthquake etc.

At the Conference of Chief Secretaries and DGPs on Internal Security and Law and Order here, the State governments have also been asked to earmark their own police force for disaster management which could get training by these eight batallions apart from the ITBP's institute in Chandigarh and at Hyderabad, he said.

The Conference, which had special session on disaster management which was chaired by the Cabinet secretary and had National Disaster Management Authority Chief, asked the state governments to take all possible efforts for mitigating the suffering during natural disaster.

UNI AJ/SH SHB GC1858