Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo chairs key Disaster Preparedness Meet; ₹1.72 Cr sanctioned for Civil Defence equipment, new training initiatives approved

SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today chaired the 2nd State Executive Committee ((SEC) meeting of the Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (DMRRR) to review the status of disaster preparedness and assess the allocation and utilization of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary Home, Chandraker Bharti, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Suresh Kumar Gupta and other senior officers.

For strengthening of Civil Defence, SEC approved the release of Rs 1.72 crore under preparedness and capacity building to Commandant General, Civil Defence for procurement of sirens and generators in all the districts. As an initiative of community based disaster management, the SEC also considered to approve the release of Rs 4 lakh to NCC units of Degree Colleges of Jammu, Reasi, Srinagar and Anantnag districts in the first phase for conduct of trainings on disaster preparedness and response.

The SEC also considered the nomination of Director General of Police as member of SEC (ex-officio) to make necessary amendments in the JK disaster management, rules 2007. The Chief Secretary stressed the importance of utilising the existing resources efficiently which is critical towards saving lives, reducing response times and minimizing overall damage in case of a disaster.

The SEC also highlighted the significance of each agenda item for augmenting the capacity of the UT to be better prepared against the disasters the region is prone to. The SEC reaffirmed its commitment to transparent and accountable use of SDRF resources. It also resolved to hold periodic reviews to monitor progress and address any emerging gaps in the disaster management framework.