The Additional District Development Commissioner (ADDC) Baramulla, Aijaz Abdullah Saraf today convened a review meeting on disaster preparedness, focusing on enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of response systems.
The meeting held threadbare discussion on the Response, Rescue and Rehabilitation preparation plan and strategy to mitigate the damage and loss of lives and property during high intensity earthquakes and other disasters.
Underlining the importance of coordinated and glitch-less communication between departments during a major disaster like earthquake or flood, the ADDC said that communication is the first casualty of earthquake or flood and said that a robust communication plan involving men and material needs to be worked out beforehand.
The ADDC stressed that concerned departments need to maintain satellite phones and wireless communication devices to be used for quick response, search and rescue.The officers held a brainstorming discussion on how to carry out damage assessment at the time of disaster so that resources can be allocated for disaster response and relief operation.
Plan to respond and evacuate people living in affected areas, communication tools to be used to inform common citizens, evacuation plan for stranded passengers, handling of distress calls, district disaster resources network, mitigation of threat of aftershocks, overwhelming capacity of health institutions were also discussed.
Besides, the ADDC stressed on identification of existing Infra alongwith open spaces where people could be temporarily shifted at the times of disasters for safety. He also directed for preparing vulnerable maps for hazards and compilation of details of buildings and structures regarding their strength.
Regarding the assessment of damage due to the earthquake, ADDC stressed on the need to have a contingency plan including Communication and Transportation plans and ground teams for preparing the report of loss.
Meanwhile, experts on the occasion highlighted the need for earthquake resistant buildings and other infrastructure, communication on wheel and communication channels, so the impact of hazard shall be mitigated.
The ADDC further called for disseminating the information besides acquainting the locals upto the panchayat levels during monthly Gram Sabhas with regard to disaster preparedness.Additional Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Dr Zahoor Ahmad Raina, SDM's, ACD, CEO, ARTO, Tehsildars besides other concerned officers were present in the meeting.