Mizoram govt setup village level disaster management

Aizawl, Jun 30 (UNI) Mizoram government, in line with the national policy of disaster management, has chalked out war footing measures by constituting Disaster Management Committees(DMC) from state level to the village levels.

A group of experts headed by Dominic Lalhmangaiha, a former Mizoram Civil Service officer, has been entrusted as the advisor by the state government with funds provided under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

''The basic principle behind disaster management is that there should be preparedness at all levels, from the top to the bottom. As a result of this, we have constituted village level disaster management committees in all the districts under the supervision of the deputy commissioners'', Lalhmangaiha told UNI here today.

Mr Lalhmangiaha also pointed out that each DMC is made up of seven teams, which includes first aid and medical team, the search and rescue team, the food and water supply team, shelter management team, information and damage assessment team, the relief coordination team and the trauma counselling team.

''Now people are slowly beginning to realise that rescue and other matters are best left to the people specially assigned for the jobs when a disaster occurs'', he said, adding that this was most necessary in Mizoram as the state is directly placed in the most seismic-active zone of the world.

He also added that the state government will shortly be purchasing essential equipment for which Rs 35 lakhs have been earmarked.

Meanwhile, DMCs are making use of the adventure clubs that are found in most villages as the members have been trained in mountaineering and rescue works.

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