SDMA identifies 30 disasters that might hit State

He was speaking at a workshop for mediapersons on ‘Role of Media in Disaster Management’ in the City on Monday.

“The different types of disasters and contingencies include a situation like the Mumbai attack, hijacking, bomb blasts, urban flooding, fire, gas leak and oil spillage etc. We have a seven-step process for disaster management for all these situations,” he said.

Operation process

Describing the response situation, Pradeep said that inter-departmental co-operation was crucial to work on a single problem.

“Most departments think they can handle an emergency alone. But it is more efficient for different agencies to handle a crisis together as there is a specific plan for each department depending on their involvement in the crisis,” he said.

A standard operation procedure is also being prepared for all the departments.

Network of hospitals

Meanwhile, the State Disaster Management Authority has gone ahead and formed a network of 25 private hospitals and five government hospitals, where patients can be admitted immediately in times of an emergency without having to deposit any amount.

An attempt is being made to identify a nodal hospital in each district and other hospitals can coordinate with the hospital, he added. Pradeep mentioned that each district will also have a District Disaster Management cell under the Deputy Commissioner’s control.

Punjab excels

Appreciating Karnataka’s speed in responding to a crisis situation, the member of the SDMA rated Punjab as the best state in responding to emergencies, their expertise stemming from dealing with insurgency for a long time.