The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Disaster Management Authority launched

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 10, 2007
ePaper

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Disaster Management Authority launched

Special Correspondent

To oversee State's preparedness to combat disasters

TRADITIONAL BEGINNING: Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan inaugurating the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. — Photo: S. Mahinsha

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan inaugurated the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, which will coordinate efforts to tighten the State's preparedness to combat disasters and avert them through precautionary measures, at a function here on Wednesday.

The authority, constituted under the Disaster Management Act passed by Parliament in 2005, will be under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, with the Revenue Minister as vice-chairman.

It will have an expert committee to advise it and a State-level committee to implement decisions, with the involvement of the police, Fire and Rescue Services, scientific institutions and all other agencies that can contribute to its objectives.

There will be implementation committees at the district-level also.

Mr. Achuthanandan said Kerala was the first State in the country to set up such an authority under the Central Act passed in the context of the tsunami tragedy in December 2004.

He said the State would soon set up an institute of international standards to train people in disaster management. Kerala was categorised as a State prone to several kinds of disasters such as flood, sea erosion, earthquake and landslide.

The danger from accidents involving chemicals, fire, vehicles, boats and trains were also not new to the State.

He said the authority would act as an institutionalised mechanism to identify the possibilities of disasters, take precautions and ensure coordinated action from various agencies to manage crisis situations. Training, awareness building and equipping the disaster handlers with everything they needed for rescue work in the event of a tragedy would form part of the responsibilities of the authority.

Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran, Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy, Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Transport Minister Mathew T. Thomas, Public Works Minister T.U. Kuruvila, Food and Civil Supplies Minister C. Divakaran, Water Resources Minister N.K. Premachandran and Law Minister M. Vijayakumar spoke. P. Jyothy Rao, one of the members of the National Disaster Management Authority, delivered the keynote address.

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

Kerala