DMRRR Deptt fails to convene meeting during past one & half year
No progress on several decisions taken in August 2017
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 6: Notwithstanding the fact that it has to lay down policies and plans for disaster risk reduction and assess the preparedness of various Government departments and agencies to handle disasters, the Jammu and Kashmir State Disaster Management Authority has failed to meet during the past over one and half year due to the slackness on the part of those at the helm of affairs in the Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Department.
Due to this fate of several decisions taken in the previous meeting of the Authority is hanging in balance while as progress on many others could not be ascertained till date.
As per the Jammu and Kashmir State Disaster Management Policy, the Authority is supposed to lay down guidelines and approve the disaster management plan prepared by the line departments of the State and ensure its strict implementation. Moreover, it is required to review/update measures taken for mitigation of disasters.
However, during the past over one and half year the State Disaster Management Authority has failed to fulfil the mandate behind its establishment as it has not met even once during this period, official sources told EXCELSIOR while holding Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Department responsible for this as Commissioner/Secretary to Government of this department is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Authority and has to take initiatives in this regard.
“The Disaster Management Authority should meet after regular intervals keeping in view the fact that owing to its unique geographical and climatic setting, Jammu and Kashmir is a hazard prone State and has witnessed a number of disasters, ranging from incidents of fires to destructive floods and catastrophic earthquakes and accordingly paid heavily in terms of loss of life and property”, sources said.
Due to inordinate delay in holding the meeting of the State Disaster Management Authority, neither the issues being faced in the effective preparedness for the disaster risk mitigation could be resolved nor could progress on the decisions taken in last meeting held on August 16, 2017 be ascertained.
In the last meeting, increasing need for having two additional battalions of the State Disaster Resource Force (SDRF) in the State was felt and accordingly the proposal of the Additional Director General of Police, Civil Defence, Home Guards and SDRF in this regard was approved in principle.
However, till date no major progress could be made on creation of two additional battalions of the SDRF, sources said, adding “had the meetings of the State Disaster Management Authority been convened after regular intervals the hurdles in creation of two more battalions would have been resolved”.
It was also decided in the last meeting that Principal Secretary to Government, Home Department will take up the matter with all the concerned authorities for satellite linking of the cellular towers so as to ensure uninterrupted communication during any disaster. “This decision is still on the papers due to absolute non-seriousness on the part of the Home Department”, sources said.
“Even significant progress has not been made on creation of pool of heavy-duty generators, which could immediately be put to use in case of any major power breakdown/failure due to disaster and till the restoration of power lines”, sources further informed while accusing Power Development Department of being non-serious towards this vital decision of the State Disaster Management Authority.
They disclosed that entire critical infrastructure of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department has not been made disaster resilient and many go-downs of the department are still prone to the disasters. “The decision in this regard was taken so that supply chain doesn’t get disrupted in case of any disaster due to floods”, sources added.
“Moreover, effective measures for strengthening and raising the height of protection bunds on the rivers vulnerable to the floods have not been taken by the concerned department till date”, sources pointed out, adding “the State Disaster Management Authority is required to meet without any further delay as monsoon season is going to begin by next month and preparations to mitigate the impact of heavy rainfall and floods in the rivers are required to be made in advance”.
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