Highlighting the importance of selfless service of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Director General, Home Guards, Civil Defence and SDRF, Dr. S Gopal Reddy has stressed for involving more and more people in the noble service by mobilising their components. He said that public awareness and rapid response are imperative for disaster mitigation.Dr. Reddy was addressing SDRF officers at a meeting held here today. The meeting was convened to discuss various issues concerning the functioning of the Organisation. The meeting also discussed steps to be taken at the time of disaster and pre-disaster mitigation. He asked for innovative efforts to strengthen the training infrastructure and equipment, bringing the force at par with NDRF. Enhancing the capacity to carry forward the services to the people in normal course as well as in times of emergencies is need of hour and the SDRF personnel have to dedicate their services while conducting rescue operations, said Dr. Reddy.Dr. Reddy, later visited Palhallan Pattan to inspect the ongoing construction of Central Training Institute. He took stock of the pace of work and asked the officers to ensure use of quality material and time bound completion of the construction.The meeting was attended by DIG, Mr. B A Itoo, Commandant Abdul Waheed Shah, Area Commandants, Dy. Controllers of the valley and Principal Central Training Institute SDRF Kashmir.