Synergy among depts vital for disaster management

3-day training programme for B-grade officers begins in Kolar

 “Co-operation among the different departments is vital for disaster management. It is only if these departments co-operate with each other that the damage can be controlled, and relief work be taken up,” Joint Secretary Dr Mohammed Moshin of the Basic Infrastructure and Development Department said here.

He was speaking at a disaster management training camp for B-grade government officials, which began at the District Training Centre here on Monday.

Dr Moshin made a presentation on his experiences as a deputy commissioner of Gadag, when he organised disaster management programmes during the floods in 2007. “During calamities or disaster, the various departments should work together in harmony,” he advised. “It is not just the deputy commissioner, health officer or the tahsildar who carry out disaster management work. Teamwork is most essential. Work can be done more effectively when all departments work together,” he added.

“Officials should visit homes and other spots where there has been loss of crops and property. They should hold surveys and collect the relevant facts and statistics. They should furnish a comprehensive report to the government. It is only then that the affected parties can get relief. There should be no negligence on the part of officials during times of disaster,” he said.

He said that the officials do not always visit the affected areas. “We regularly receive complaints that the officials do not collect the right information and data. This has also been highlighted by the media. We received such complaints even during the floods in Gadag. The reason for this is simple: officers are negligent. We should put a stop to this, and discharge our duties well,” he advised.

Deputy Commissioner In-charge Shivaraj, camp director Dr G Vishwanath, joint director Dr R Dharmaraju, D Nagesh, and principal of the District Training Centre Pradeep Rajnal were also present.

Lectures

Later Dr G Vishwanath delivered a lecture on Disaster Management and the Disaster Management Act; District Fire Force Officer Vijayakumar spoke on the management of fire disasters.

On Tuesday, the second day of the training camp, three lectures will be held. They will be on earthquakes and their management (by Dr R Dharmaraju),  control of epidemics during disasters, and precautions to be taken (by deputy commissioner Dr Ramesh Babu), bomb blasts and defusion of bombs (Sukumar and Shivakumar of the Bangalore Bomb Disposal Squad).

Four lectures have been scheduled for July 29, the last day of the workshop: Mining and precautionary measures (by KGF scientists Dr Srinivas), Role of RAS and GAS during disaster management, the district disaster management programme (by Dr G Vishwanath and deputy-director Dr R Dharmaraju and D Nagesh.)