Civil-military liasion to combat natural calamities: Amarinder

Chandigarh, June 29 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today called upon civil and military authorities to adopt a multi-pronged strategy to combat any sort of eventuality arising out of natural calamities in the state.

Presiding over the first meeting of the Punjab Disaster Management Authority, he directed the Steering Committee headed by the Chief Secretary to work out the modalities of disaster management plan of the state. He stressed upon both the civil and military authorities to gearup for the ensuing monsoon season, so as to face any eventuality arising out of floods.

Capt Singh also directed the departments of Health and Family Welfare, Animal Husbandry, Irrigation and Drainage, Rural Development and Panchayats, local government and Public Health to make concerted efforts for flood preparedness.

It was decided in the meeting to enhance the financial power of the relief commissioner, that is Financial Commissioner Revenue from Rs 50 lakh to Rs five crore under the Calamity Relief Fund (CRF). Deputy Commissioners would be provided a fund of Rs 10 lakh out of which Rs five crore would be for timely disbursement of relief or action to be initiated without the prior approval of appropriate authority.

The meeting also decided not to enact a separate Disaster Management Act for Punjab, but adopt and follow the Central Act.

It was also decided in the meeting to make the Hazard Safety Cell of the Public Works Department functional. The Chief Minister asked the Deputy Commissioners to provide updated data for the website run by the India Disaster Resource Network.

It was also decided to open a Monitoring Cell of disaster management at the state Civil Secretariat here. This Cell would commence functioning from July one.

The meeting was attended by Western Command chief Lt Gen Daljeet Singh, Revenue Minister Amarjit Singh Samra, Financial Commissioner Revenue K K Bhatnagar, Principal Secretary Finance D S Kalha, Principal Secretary Defence Welfare Geetika Kalha, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Suresh Kumar and ADGP Chander Shekhar.

UNI HS PK RAI1908