<p>Following the devastation caused by floods in North Karnataka, the government is now speeding up to finalise a comprehensive State Disaster Management Plan. It is also drawing up guidelines for scientific assessment of damage to property and crop loss during disasters.<br /><br />Presently, Administrative Training Institute, Mysore is imparting disaster management training for select personnel of various departments in batches of 30 each. At State Disaster Management Authority’s first meeting headed by Chief Minister Yeddyurappa, in Bangalore last week, it was decided to expand the scope and content of such training programmes.<br />The plan is to hold training programmes continually in order to improve their competency levels, sources said. <br /><br />Clearance of the long-awaited State Disaster Management Plan will be the meeting’s first outcome. A draft plan has already been prepared with ATI’s support, but it needs the authority’s clearance. The CM has directed that over 300-pages draft document be processed by an Executive Committee headed by Chief Secretary, and be placed before the authority for ratification. Purpose of the State Disaster Management Authority, an offshoot of Disaster Management Act passed in 2005, was to integrate the process of planning, coordinating and implementing measures during disasters. However, the authority hadn’t met even once, since its constitution in January, this year. The government has also sought the view of NCC Directorate and Scouts and Guides for providing training for its cadets. The government will also set up an information centre to coordinate logistics during natural calamities.<br /></p>
<p>Following the devastation caused by floods in North Karnataka, the government is now speeding up to finalise a comprehensive State Disaster Management Plan. It is also drawing up guidelines for scientific assessment of damage to property and crop loss during disasters.<br /><br />Presently, Administrative Training Institute, Mysore is imparting disaster management training for select personnel of various departments in batches of 30 each. At State Disaster Management Authority’s first meeting headed by Chief Minister Yeddyurappa, in Bangalore last week, it was decided to expand the scope and content of such training programmes.<br />The plan is to hold training programmes continually in order to improve their competency levels, sources said. <br /><br />Clearance of the long-awaited State Disaster Management Plan will be the meeting’s first outcome. A draft plan has already been prepared with ATI’s support, but it needs the authority’s clearance. The CM has directed that over 300-pages draft document be processed by an Executive Committee headed by Chief Secretary, and be placed before the authority for ratification. Purpose of the State Disaster Management Authority, an offshoot of Disaster Management Act passed in 2005, was to integrate the process of planning, coordinating and implementing measures during disasters. However, the authority hadn’t met even once, since its constitution in January, this year. The government has also sought the view of NCC Directorate and Scouts and Guides for providing training for its cadets. The government will also set up an information centre to coordinate logistics during natural calamities.<br /></p>