New Delhi, Sept. 10 -- Three days after the Satya Niketan building collapse exposed the Capital's vulnerabilities in responding to urban disasters, the Delhi government on Thursday moved to establish its own specialised disaster response force, proposing a battalion of up to 1,100 personnel to ensure that emergency teams do not have to wait for assistance from outside the city.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting between Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and senior National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) officials at the Delhi Secretariat. The proposed State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) will function under the Delhi government and is expected to provide a dedicated local response to both natural and man-made disasters.
The move comes in the aftermath of the Satya Niketan building collapse that killed seven people, with the Chief Minister also thanking the NDRF for its prompt response and coordination during the rescue operation.
"The NDRF team worked with promptness and coordination during the relief and rescue operation at Satya Niketan. On behalf of the people of Delhi, I express my gratitude to the team," Gupta said.
NDRF officials briefed the Chief Minister on the proposed force and said a battalion comprising up to 1,100 personnel could be raised in Delhi. The personnel would receive specialised training from the NDRF and be equipped according to Delhi's geographical and disaster-response requirements.
Gupta said a dedicated force was necessary for a densely populated metropolitan city such as Delhi, where the speed of response can determine the extent of loss.
"Every minute counts during a disaster. For a densely populated metropolitan city like Delhi, having its own SDRF is the need of the hour," she said.
She said Delhi had so far remained dependent on external assistance for specialised disaster response and that establishing an SDRF would strengthen its capacity to respond locally.
"Setting up an SDRF in Delhi has been a long-standing requirement. Most states in the country have already established their own SDRFs. We will now move forward to reduce dependence on external assistance and strengthen Delhi's immediate response capacity," Gupta said.
The government will also train personnel of the Delhi Fire Services and Civil Defence volunteers in specialised rescue and relief operations. Officials said the objective is to create better coordination between agencies during emergencies and ensure that trained manpower is available locally.
The NDRF will assist the Delhi government with training and procurement of specialised equipment. Gupta has also directed officials to prepare and share a list of disaster-management equipment available with different departments, along with details of where it is stored, so that resources can be mobilised immediately during emergencies.
The meeting also discussed strengthening the NDRF's physical presence within Delhi. At present, NDRF personnel are stationed in outer parts of the capital where the force has land. Officials said deployments in Central, North and South Delhi were also necessary, particularly because of the concentration of important government and public institutions in these areas. The Delhi government has identified land that could be made available to the NDRF at different locations. Gupta directed concerned departments to initiate action immediately.
The Chief Minister said Delhi's expanding infrastructure and growing population made disaster preparedness increasingly important.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.