The Principal Secretary Home, Suresh Kumar, stressed for involving more and more people in the noble service of Civil Defence by strengthening the training infrastructure and enhancing the capacity to deal with man-made and natural disasters.This was stated by Suresh Kumar while speaking at a function organised on 52nd Annual Raising Day of Civil Defence and Home Guard Organizations here at SDRF Parade Ground today. He recalled the Chinese aggression in 1962, which lead to the raising of Home-guard/Civil Defence to deal with the internal security of vital installations of the country. He said that the new emerging trends surfacing day by day like climatic change, melting of glaciers, storms, cloud bursts, flash floods, major road accidents, fire and earthquakes have posed challenges before us. He said the changes have to be taken note of to avert the losses of human lives and public property.
The Principal Secretary said that Organizations have brought awareness among the masses during past several years but there is still need to do much more in this regard, adding “They are upholding the highest traditions of voluntary service”. He disclosed that presently more than 7,500 civil defence volunteers are active in the field across the State, who in the times of peace the volunteers have been helping the civil administration in enforcing their developmental and other programmes.He said the Organization has conducted 250 awareness camps and 41 demonstration programmes on disaster preparedness in various parts of the State to educate the people about this noble service besides organizing 128 special training camps for CD workers and trained volunteers. Personnel from State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were also underwent various rescue and disaster management training courses, he added. He stressed for organizing more such awareness camps, workshops and training programmes so that people from every corner of the State become aware about the precautionary measures to be taken during any type of disasters.
Responding to the demands of Home Guards and Civil Defence Organizations, the Home Secretary assured that every support will be provided to strengthen the Organizations.On this occasion, an impressive parade was held by the contingents of Home guards, Civil Defence and SDRF and mock drill was presented by the contingents of Home-guard, Auxiliary Police, CD wardens and volunteers.
Earlier, the IGP, (HG/CD/SDRF), J. P. Singh, read out the Raising Day Messages of Governor, Chief Secretary, DGP and Home Secretary on the occasion. He gave a detailed resume of the activities of the Organizations conducted at district headquarters, towns, tehsils and block level during the year 2014. He said that a large number of people participated in these programmes and training camps and were made aware about the precautionary measures to be taken during disasters.
Among others, the function was attended by former DGP, AC Chaturvadi. AsDGP, SP Vaid and Navin Aggerwal, IsGP, AK Choudhary, HK Lohia, Yoginder Koul, Rajesh Kumar, Mukesh Singh, SLSharma, Jagjit Kumar and MA Ganaie, DIsGP, SA Beig, Vijay Singh Samyal and Nissar Ahmed, senior police retired officers, SO to IGP HG, TD Saini, SSP SRDF, Stenzin Nurboo, Chief Warden, Jugal Mahajan, Wardens and Volunteers from all the districts of the State and other police officers.