NDMA to train Arunachal on disaster management

Itanagar, Apr 17 (UNI) The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) will help Arunachal Pradesh in disaster management by imparting training to the police force, including communities, who are frontliners during disasters.

Speaking on the sidelines of the two-day state level workshop on disaster and risk management here today, NDMA member K M Singh told reporters that the Central Statutory Body, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as its Chairman, would help the state in making preparations to cope with any situation during disasters.

The Disaster Management Act, 2005, provides for setting up the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to respond quickly to any disaster and accordingly, eight battalions were being set up in the country with two in the eastern region at Kolkata and Guwahati respectively to look after the North Eastern states, he said.

The other six battalions were set up at Bhubaneshwar, Arakonam (near Chennai), Gandhinagar, Pune, Chandigarh and in Greater Noida, he added.

Mr Singh informed that each battalion comprised 18 teams with 45 members each, including expert doctors, para medics, technicians, electricians, construction engineers and dog squads.

The training of these battalions was as per international standards and with state-of-the-art equipment, he said, adding that these battalions were proactive and would be in regular touch with state governments and readily available during any disaster without wastage of time.

Stating that Arunachal, being situated in Zone V of the seismic belt and highly vulnerable to earthquakes and other disasters, Mr Singh advocated for an early action plan by the state government in consultation with the NDMA and North East Council (NEC).

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