Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 13: Keeping in view numerous lacunae and deficiencies that came to the fore during September 2014 devastating floods in Jammu and Kashmir, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai has recommended to the State to establish full-fledged Disaster Management Secretariat to ensure round the year activities aimed at fostering culture of prevention, preparedness and mitigation.
The Institute, whose services were sought by the State Government for preparation of first-ever comprehensive Disaster Management Plan, has made this recommendation in the final draft of the document.
According to the sources privy to the final draft, the Institute has stressed that instead of initiating activities after any kind of disaster, Jammu and Kashmir keeping in view its vulnerability to various kinds of catastrophes should first of all establish full-fledged Secretariat of the State Disaster Management Authority. The primary focus of such a Secretariat should be to ensure round the year activities aimed at capacity building and training.
Though Disaster Management Authority has already been established in the State with Chief Minister as its Chairman and Executive Committee headed by Chief Secretary but its functioning is only on the papers without any serious activity on the ground.
The Institute has suggested that on the pattern of National Disaster Management Authority, the Authority in J&K should have a senior level officer as its Vice-Chairman as Chairman being Chief Minister cannot spare enough time to ensure round the year required activities. Similarly, there should be a Secretary and other different ranking officers in the Disaster Management Secretariat to lay down the policies, plans and guidelines for disaster management and to ensure timely and effective response to catastrophes, sources said quoting the outlines of the draft plan.
Sources informed that Institute, whose Consultant Dr T Jayaraman, made presentation before the Executive Committee yesterday, has further stressed that Emergency Operation Centres shall also be established initially at highly safe locations in Jammu, Srinagar and Leh and then in all the districts of the State in phased manner for better coordination and effective response during any type of disaster.
When asked, sources said that Institute has suggested that Disaster Management Secretariat should ensure round the year activities for capacity building, training of stakeholders and resource mapping and requirement so that holistic, pro-active, technology driven and sustainable strategy is put in place for prompt action in case of any disaster. “The Secretariat should work with the objective of fostering a culture of prevention, preparedness and mitigation”, they said quoting the suggestions of Institute.
It is pertinent to mention here that exercise for establishment of Emergency Operation Centres was initiated in June-July last year but the same did not yield any positive result because of lack of coordination and non-serious approach at different level. “Though it is officially stated that due to September floods the focus could not be laid on EOCs but the fact is that there was no seriousness right from the very beginning and the same is the situation at present”, sources regretted.
“The Institute has suggested that besides all sophisticated equipments of different fields, the EOCs should have separate and enough capacity to store large quantity of essential items so that same could be put to use for different purposes during disasters”, they said.
They informed that Institute has also identified key departments, which should continuously focus on capacity building keeping in view their vital role during the disasters. “As far as preparation of District Level Disaster Management Plans keeping in view vulnerability profile of concerned district is concerned, exercise has already been initiated”, sources added.
Sources said that suggestions made by the Institute in draft plan assumes importance in the light of numerous lacunae and deficiencies that came to the fore during September 2014 devastating floods in Jammu and Kashmir. “As SDRF and Forest Department have expressed desire to go through the draft plan once again, the complete documents would be in place within next two weeks”, they said.
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