Training camp held

A training camp for railway employees by the civil defence organization on how to perform first aid, fight fires and carry out rescue operations was inaugurated at the Scouts and Guides Camp at Ketti on Monday.

Hari Shankar Verma, Divisional Railway Manager, Salem Division, said that 130 track maintenance employees from across the State, including women, were taking part in the civil defence training.

“We in the railways take civil defence training very seriously, and ensure that our employees are well versed in techniques of administering first aid and also conducting basic rescue operations,” Mr. Verma told

The Hindu .

This is the 82nd such camp organised to train railway employees and it will continue till May 27. According to officials, the training camp is to be conducted with the help of the National Civil Defence College. The civil defence organisation was created in 1962 (during the Chinese incursion into India) in order to train government employees in preventing sabotage on civil and government infrastructure.

“The aim of the organisation are to saving lives, minimising property damage and maintain industrial productivity in the case of hostile attacks,” officials said.

B. Ilangovan, Senior Divisional Financial Manager, Chennai Division, and who is also the former Controller of Civil Defence Organization of Southern Railway, R Murali, Senior Assistant Deputy General Manager, Southern Railway and Deputy Controller of Civil Defence Organisation participated in the inaugural function.