Existing bns facing shortage of 345 personnel since long
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, July 2: Taking serious note of inordinate delay in raising two more battalions of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Raj Bhavan has sought detailed report from the Secretary to Government, Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction so as to initiate the process of increasing manpower for effectively dealing with man-made and natural disasters.
EXCELSIOR in its edition dated June 13, 2018 had exclusively highlighted that Home Department was sleeping over the proposal to raise two more battalions of the State Disaster Response Force despite being aware of the fact that 13 districts of the State have already been declared as multi hazardous by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and existing manpower of the Force was not in a position to deal with the disasters.
The issue was again highlighted in the Editorial dated June 20, 2018 titled “State Disaster Response Force” mentioning that devastating floods of 2014 should be a lesson enough to the authorities concerned and State should adopt the pattern of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to ensure creation of additional two SDRF battalions.
The revelations have been taken seriously by the Raj Bhavan and on the directions of the Governor N N Vohra, Additional Secretary in Governor’s Secretariat Dhananter Singh has dashed a communication to Talat Parvez Rohalla, Secretary to Government, Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction seeking detailed report in the matter.
“This has reference to the enclosed news item titled State Disaster Response Force appearing in the English daily newspaper Daily Excelsior of 20th June, 2018 on the subject citied above. I am desired to forward the news-item for a report in the matter, which may please be communicated to Governor’s Secretariat”, read the communication dated June 22, 2018, the copy of which has been managed by EXCELSIOR from the Department of Disaster Management.
Though the senior officers of the Department of Disaster Management are tight-lipped over the communication yet sources said that a detailed report has been prepared for submission to the Raj Bhavan. “Governor is keen to strengthen State Disaster Response Force as J&K falls in Seismic Zones-IV and V as such is vulnerable to natural disasters particularly earthquakes”, sources further said.
It may be recalled that Governor N N Vohra while attending the 55th Raising Day of Home Guards and Civil Defence on December 6, 2017 had urged the Government to raise more SDRF battalions so that man-made and natural disasters are tackled effectively.
“Governor’s concern is genuine as Union Ministry of Home Affairs has already declared Jammu, Srinagar, Kupwara, Baramulla, Budgam, Pulwama, Anantnag, Leh, Kargil, Doda, Udhampur, Poonch and Rajouri as multi-hazardous districts and given the meager manpower resources the existing SDRF battalions are not in a position to cater to the desired ends”, sources said.
They disclosed that present sanctioned strength of existing SDRF battalions is 805 which is deficient by 345 personnel as compared to NDRF battalion whose sanctioned strength is 1150 personnel.
Due to this the components of SDRF at district headquarters have only 20 personnel against the requirement of at least 40 to 50 personnel per team to deal with all types of disaster situations like flood, snow avalanche, earthquake and man-made disasters.
Moreover, areas like Dachan, Padder, Bani, Basohli, Karnah, Tangdhar, Uri, Gurez, Nubra and other far-flung areas are without any SDRF component. The strength of two existing SDRF battalions comprises appointees of 1979 and 1987 and nearly 60% personnel have crossed the age of 50 years as such are not suitable for disaster response activities which require high-level of fitness.
“It would be only after receiving detailed report and deeply analyzing the same that Governor will set into motion process to raise two more battalions of the SDRF”, sources said.
It is pertinent to mention here that Vide Communication No. GB/ M-30/ 2014/ 50435-37 dated September 26, 2014 addressed to Principal Secretary to Government, Home Department, Director General of Police (DGP) had sought sanction to the creation of two more battalions of SDRF to ensure availability of such personnel beyond the capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar.
As there was no response, the Director General of Police again took up the matter with the Principal Secretary to Government Home Department vide communication dated January 2, 2015. Even the State Disaster Management Authority in its meeting held under the chairpersonship of the then Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on August 16, 2017 too felt an increasing need for having two additional battalions of SDRF and accordingly the proposal was approved.
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