Emphasis on Measures for Preparedness, Prevention and Mitigation at Annual Conference of Disaster Management

The Union Home Secretary, Shri R.K.Singh has stressed on the need to focus on the whole gamut of disaster management with an emphasis on the measures of preparedness, prevention and mitigation. He also stressed on the need for cutting the delay in dissemination of the early warning by the forecasting agencies to the responders for ensuring prompt action by them. While inaugurating the Annual Conference of Relief Commissioners and Secretaries Department of Disaster Management of the States/UTs for reviewing the Preparedness relating to the South-West Monsoon 2012 here today, Shri R.K. Singh, brought out the importance of the institutions set up under Disaster Management Act, 2005 and urged the States and UTs to strengthen them. 

While highlighting the importance of the conference, Shri A.E. Ahmad, Secretary (Border Management) in his keynote address, asked the Disaster Management managers of the States and UTs, Central Ministries and Departments to expedite the activities relating to preparedness, response and capacity building. He informed them about the initiatives taken by the Government of India for strengthening of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in the past one year. He also urged the States about the needs of mainstreaming the activities of DRR in the developmental process. Shri R.K. Srivastava, Joint Secretary (Disaster Management), Ministry of Home Affairs made a presentation on the key issues and challenges being faced by the Disaster Management Departments in the States/UTs and also at the national level, and the measures required to address them. 

In the conference, various departments such as India Meteorological Department, Central Water Commission, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, Indian Space Research Organization, Defence Research and Development Organization, National Disaster Response Force, National Disaster Management Authority, and Ministry of Defence, as well as NDMA made presentation about their enabling efforts to enhance the capacities of the States in their preparedness to meet the challenges of forthcoming North-West/North-East Monsoon and cyclones. While concluding the Conference, the States and Union Territory’s were assured by MHA that their concerns and issues would be addressed in the right earnest in emergencies during the Monsoon period of 2012.