The Hindu : National : Government plans to introduce Disaster Management Bill in budget session

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 11, 2005

National

National

Government plans to introduce Disaster Management Bill in budget session

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, MARCH 10. The Government plans to introduce the Disaster Management Bill, 2005 in the current budget session, the Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, informed the Lok Sabha today.

``A National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is separately being notified with the Prime Minister as its Chairman,'' he said in a statement in the House.

He said the proposed law on disaster management would provide for institutional and coordination mechanism and power for undertaking the mitigation measures and the mechanism for ensuring preparedness and capacity building to handle disasters.

Mr. Patil said a core group under the Planning Commission had also been constituted to plan for long-term rehabilitation, reconstruction, including construction of multi-hazard-proof permanent houses. Whereas no external assistance was sought for immediate relief and response, the Government was considering it from multi-lateral agencies such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Union and the United Nations agencies for long-term reconstruction.

``Once the core group finalises its plan of action, the package for long-term reconstruction will be announced,'' he said.

The Home Minister said the Government has decided to set up the Tsunami Early Warning System in the Indian Ocean and the Department of Ocean Development has already initiated work on it.

The December 26 tsunami disaster that affected Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Pondicherry and Andaman and Nicobar Islands had left 10,273 people dead and 5,823 missing or feared dead, most of them from the Nicobar Islands while 530 children were rendered orphans, Mr. Patil said. About 22,000 hectares of cropped area was damaged and the disaster brought untold misery upon fishermen. Extensive damage was caused to harbours, jetties, roads, bridges, power, telecom, hospitals, schools and other social-sector buildings.

Welcoming the decision to establish the National Disaster Management Authority, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, L.K. Advani, said the Bill should be referred to a Standing Committee of Parliament. Later, the Home Minister made an identical statement in the Rajya Sabha.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National