Centre refutes PIL charges over vacant NDMA posts

Roles being discharged as envisaged, it informs High Court

The Centre has told the Delhi High Court that the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was functioning as it should while refuting allegations that it was not filling vacant posts in the body.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in its response to a Public Interest Litigation, said, “The suggestion to the effect that these institutions are rendered dead is completely baseless”.

The petition filed by advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal has claimed that several key posts, including that of the vice-chairperson and secretary of the NDMA, were lying vacant for the past two years and this was affecting its functioning.

“At present there are four members in the NDMA,” MHA’s affidavit said, adding that “weekly meetings are held regularly, where all the members and joint secretaries discuss the implementation of various schemes, programmes and other issues related to disaster management.”

Guidance provided

“In addition, wherever required, guidance from the Prime Minister’s Office and the MHA are provided,” the Ministry said adding “as regard the post of secretary NDMA is concerned, one of the members in the NDMA has been authorised to exercise the administration and financial power vested with the secretary NDMA”.

It said, both the NDMA and the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) are discharging their roles as envisaged under the Disaster Management Act.

Mr. Bansal has alleged that several posts are lying vacant also in the NIDM which was established to provide assistance in the national-level policy formulation, organise training programmes, to carry out research and several other important functions.

“It is important to mention that the MHA, in order to provide skilled human resources, critical supplies for emergency responses etc., created a network, i.e., India Disaster Resource Network [IDRN],” the plea said.

“For the successful implementation of the IDRN, the MHA has authorised the NIDM to organise training programmes regularly across the country. However, due to lack of manpower since the last two years, the NIDM has not organised any such regular training programme,” the petition said.

Mr. Bansal sought directions to the government to fill up all the vacant posts in the two organisations.