Govt formulating National Disaster Management Policy

New Delhi, Nov 17 (UNI) The goverment is formulating a National Disaster Management Policy to deal with natural and man made calamities like earthquake, tsunami, floods, cyclone, oil spills.

Home Minister Shivraj Patil today held a high-level meeting in which the draft policy was deliberated and measures needed to effectively prevent and deal with disasters were discussed.

Apart from focusing on the measures needed to deal with quakes, cyclones, tsunami, floods, drought, the draft policy would also deal with steps required to reduce the impact of global warming and to minimise the impact of oil spill.

It would also call for increased use of scientific equipment and techniques to deal with disasters. The country at present has no diaster management policy.

The meeting was attended by Home Secretary V K Duggal, National Institute of Disaster Management Executive Director P G Dhar Chowdhary, National Disaster Management Authority Vice Chairman N C Viz and many other senior officials.

Meanwhile, the first India Disaster Management Congress would be held here on Novemebr 29 and 30 at the NIDM. About 500 experts from across the country would participate in the congress and deliberate on various aspects of disaster management.

About 250 papers would be presented at the Congress by scientists, scholars, researchers, government departments, state government officials etc. The Congress would facilitate interaction and sharing of ideas and experiences on various aspects of disasters management.

The congress would present its recommendations which are likely to be included in any future disaster management policy and strategies.

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