The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Grassroots infrastructure needed to tackle disasters, says Minister

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Nov 18, 2006
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Grassroots infrastructure needed to tackle disasters, says Minister

Staff Reporter

Call to have a trained team for disaster response system

ALL FOR QUICK RESPONSE: Industries Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu (left) greeting the member of the National Disaster Management Authority, K.M. Singh, at the inauguration of a seminar on `Disaster management' in Bangalore on Friday. — Phot o: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

BANGALORE: There is a need to develop and strengthen infrastructure at taluk and hobli levels in the State to manage natural calamities and prevent manmade disasters, Minister for Industries Katta Subramanya Naidu has said.

He was speaking at a seminar on disaster management organised by the Directorate of Home Guards, Civil Defence and Fire and Emergency Services on the occasion of National Day for Disaster Reduction here on Friday.

Mr. Naidu said that of late the State had been facing challenges in countering threats by terrorist and naxalite elements. It had to fight nature's fury for the past couple of years. The Government had realised the need to step up its security machinery and strengthen infrastructure such as roads and bridges with forethought, he added.

Commending the police efforts in exposing the terrorist conspiracy to blow up vital installations in the State, Mr. Naidu said imparting training to youth could strengthen the security system. Such a trained force would come handy as a second level support to the police at the time of crisis, he said.

K.M. Singh, member of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), in his keynote address, emphasised the role of civil defence in disaster management.

A report compiled by a high-power committee of the NDMA had felt that civil defence had a role to play in safeguarding social and human interests when disasters strike. It had recommended that personnel belonging to civil defence should be treated with respect and given free hand to prevent, counter and regulate any artificial or natural eventualities that were detrimental to the public and the country. Civil defence should be viewed as an effective agent for creating public awareness and strengthening manpower in disaster management, Mr. Singh said.

Referring to the need to protect multi-storeyed buildings from fire and water-related accidents, he said owners of such buildings should earmark 5 per cent extra construction cost to ensure that the building was well protected.

Change of mindset among the public in understanding the importance of rules and regulations pertaining to construction would help disaster management to a large extent, he said.

Director-General of Police and Commandant of Home Guards and Civil Defence Ajaikumar Singh welcomed the gathering.

Minister for Public Works and Energy H.D. Revanna inaugurated the seminar.

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