The State government is actively examining a proposal for setting up a dedicated State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) of its own for tackling the challenges posed by natural as well as man-made calamities.
The Revenue (Disaster Management) Department had prepared a detailed action plan for the constitution of SDRF and the proposal had been sent to the Finance and other departments concerned for their consent. To be planned with 523 strong team, the SDRF will have well-trained and equipped personnel drawn from the police and fire departments for its operations. The teams will also consist of doctors, paramedics and experts in engineering to reduce vulnerability to the natural/man-made calamities.
Senior officials said the constitution of SDRF was necessitated as the government had to requisition the services of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) which is headquartered at Mangalagiri in Guntur district. “Every time there is a calamity, we have to request the 10th Battalion of NDRF for trained personnel and other logistical requirements. It is therefore thought necessary to have a force dedicated for the State that could be moved to the spot at the earliest as and when required,” an official told The Hindu .
₹700 crore investment
The full-fledged operation of SDRF, according to officials, is expected to require around ₹700 crore investment that would include recurring and non-recurring costs incurred on various counts. The major expenditure from the proposed corpus is expected to be on account of procurement of sophisticated equipment along with vehicles and positioning the latest technologies that can be used during the calamities.
“We are seeking ₹301 crore in the first phase so that the infrastructural and logistical requirements are put in place,” a senior official said. The department is learnt to have decided to seek grants under the XV Finance Commission once it receives a go ahead from the government for setting up of the SDRF.
Disaster plan
Meanwhile, the Disaster Management Department had evolved a detailed State disaster management plan encompassing various factors like preparedness and capacity building, hazard vulnerability, risk analysis, rehabilitation and reconstruction, and mainstreaming disaster risk reduction. The plan would comprise standard operating procedures as prescribed by the National Disaster Management Authority as also district-specific risks for all the 30 districts, except Hyderabad.
The plan would cover calamities due to extreme weather conditions, heat wave, floods/urban flooding, industrial & chemical hazards, epidemics and even stampedes.
“The overall effort has been to ensure effective coordination between the different departments of the government, private sector and Central government departments like railways in the times of calamities,” the official said.
