Dehradun: Uttarakhand chief secretary Radha Raturi directed the disaster management to develop an Uttarakhand framework to cope with disaster and prevent the same. She asked the officers concerned to take suggestions from NGOs, civil society, social organizations, and private experts while preparing the Uttarakhand framework in this regard. She told them to prepare the Uttarakhand-centric disaster management model keeping in mind the special conditions of the state, instead of adopting the models of other countries and states in the field of disaster management.
Her advice for the government officer was that they should work with a broad perspective, not limiting themselves to their limited boundaries. On Wednesday, she was reviewing the implementation of Sendai (Japan) framework on disaster risk reduction in the state at the state secretariat.
Make action plan of insurance scheme
Chief secretary also expressed her strong displeasure over the laxity in making an action plan for the insurance scheme in disaster risk reduction. She made it clear the insurance scheme is of great help for people especially needy in disaster-sensitive states like Uttarakhand. She has directed the department to seriously consider this matter and take effective initiative.
Training for ‘Apada Sakhi’, a friend in disaster
Taking serious note of the lack of trained officers for disaster risk assessment, she directed the Disaster Management Department to immediately conduct training programs for master trainers for the purpose of risk assessment in disaster-affected areas and villages. She also directed the department to impart training in disaster management to more than 65000 women self-help groups in the state, with more than 10 lakh women associated with them. Terming these trained women as “Aapda Sakhi”, she directed officials to take their help in relief and rescue operations at village and tehsil level during disasters.
Include disaster management in the primary school curriculum
Highlighting the importance of general knowledge about disaster management among students in the disaster-sensitive state, she instructed them to include disaster management in the curriculum of students from primary school level. She also asked the officers concerned to arrange information and data of ex-servicemen living in all the districts from Sainik Welfare Department and train them in disaster management and take their help at local level during disasters.
