New Delhi, 10 September (H.S.): Under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the Delhi Government has taken a major decision to further strengthen its capacity to effectively deal with natural and human-induced disasters. The Delhi Government will now establish its own State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). This will facilitate the rapid deployment of a trained and specialised force to disaster sites, enable effective relief and rescue operations, and help minimise the loss of life and property.

Along with the formation of the SDRF, the Delhi Government will provide specialised training to personnel of the Fire Department and Civil Defence Volunteers. This will enable the available local human resources to contribute to relief and rescue operations during disasters with the necessary skills and better coordination.

A high-level meeting on the matter was held at the Delhi Secretariat on Thursday under the chairpersonship of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. During the meeting, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) officials briefed the Chief Minister on various aspects related to the formation of an SDRF in Delhi.

They informed the Chief Minister that an SDRF battalion comprising 1,100 personnel could be established in Delhi. The battalion would function under the State Government and, in the event of a disaster, would be able to reach the affected site rapidly on the government’s directions and undertake effective relief and rescue operations.

NDRF officials said the NDRF would provide the necessary training to personnel of the proposed SDRF. It would also extend assistance in providing specialised equipment and other resources, taking into account Delhi’s geographical characteristics and local requirements. Following the formation of the SDRF, the Delhi Government would also arrange training for Fire Department personnel and Civil Defence Volunteers so that relief and rescue operations could be carried out with better coordination among various agencies during disasters.

The government believes that the most critical element of relief and rescue operations during a disaster is a swift response. The formation of the SDRF and the training of Fire Department personnel and Civil Defence Volunteers will make the capital’s disaster management system stronger and more effective. The Chief Minister also directed officials to share with the concerned departments a list of disaster management equipment and details regarding its storage, so that the equipment can be made available immediately in the event of an accident or disaster.

The Chief Minister said that the establishment of Delhi’s own SDRF had been long overdue. Most states across the country have already established their SDRFs. Having an SDRF in a densely populated metropolitan city such as Delhi is a necessity of the times. During the tenure of previous governments, this important mechanism could not take shape for various reasons. The Delhi Government will now move forward in this direction so as to reduce dependence on external assistance during disasters and strengthen the capacity for an immediate response at the local level.

The Chief Minister said that physical infrastructure in Delhi is expanding rapidly, while the population is also continuously increasing. In view of the possibility of serious damage in the event of a natural or human-induced disaster, robust preparedness and a rapid response mechanism are therefore essential. The objective is not merely to respond after a disaster occurs, but also to ensure that Delhi is adequately prepared and equipped in advance to deal with such situations.

The meeting also discussed the issue of providing land to the NDRF for establishing its own battalion in Delhi. NDRF officials said that the force has land available in the outer areas of Delhi, where its personnel remain deployed. However, given that Delhi is the national capital and houses key institutions of the Central Government, the presence of the NDRF in Central Delhi, North Delhi and South Delhi is also necessary.

During the meeting, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta discussed the matter with officials of the concerned departments. Officials informed her that the Delhi Government has suitable land that could be made available for this purpose. She directed the concerned officials to take immediate action in the matter.

Delhi Government Chief Secretary Rajiv Verma, NDRF Director General (DG) Piyush Anand, Inspector General (IG) Narendra Bundela and senior officials from various departments were present at the meeting.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar