The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Meet to focus on disaster management

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 15, 2007
ePaper

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Meet to focus on disaster management

Staff Reporter

‘Safe India 2007,’ a three-day exhibition
to be organised
Plan to form quick response teams in
all districts

BANGALORE: The Directorate of Home Guards and Civil Defence has organised a series of programmes between November 15 and 17 in connection with National Disaster Reduction Day to create awareness about natural and manmade disasters, said Director-General of Police Jija Madhavan Hari Singh, who is the Commandant General of Home Guards and Director of Civil Defence.

Addressing presspersons on Tuesday, Ms. Singh said that as part of programme a three-day exhibition “Safe India 2007” on disaster management would be organised at BRV Parade Grounds. Institutions such as Madras Engineering Group, Coast Guard, National Thermal Power Corporation, and public sector undertakings including Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bharat Electronics Ltd, would participate in it. The exhibition will highlight various aspects of disaster and means and measures to control it. Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court Cyriac Joseph will inaugurate the exhibition.

The directorate will hold a number of programmes, including painting and essay competitions for children, all over the State. Rallies comprising police, home guards, civil defence volunteers, national cadet crops and school children will also be held.

Ms. Singh said the directorate, in association with International Resources Development Centre, would organise an international seminar on disaster management at St. Joseph’s Indian High School auditorium on November 15. Experts, including those from other countries, will make presentations on different aspects of disaster and its management. This includes Vice-Chancellor of Girne American University North Cyprus Shel Hulac who will speak on “Man made and natural disaster”; K. Muralidhar of Atomic Energy Commission on “Radiation disaster preparedness and management”; and K. Santhanam, former Chief Controller of Defence Research and Development Organisation on “Nuclear Warfare preparedness”.

The disaster reduction day programmes will come to an end with a rally to be held at the Vidhana Soudha on November 17. Governor Rameshwar Thakur will take part in the mock drill and cultural programmes to be held at Manekshaw Parade Grounds.

Ms. Singh said the directorate had initiated formation of disaster management quick response teams in all districts by involving doctors, engineers, owners of earthmovers and people from different walks of life. These teams, each comprising about 150 volunteers, and the fire and emergency service personnel would help the district administrations in countering disasters, she said.

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