Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday offered to provide 50-60 acres of land free of cost for stationing a battalion of the national disaster response force (NDRF) permanently in the state.
In a communique to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the chief minister apprised him of the recent tragedy in Jalandhar where a factory building collapsed, resulting in the loss of several lives and injuries to many.
Badal said that the NDRF battalion stationed in Bathinda had been doing a commendable job in rescue operations. Earlier too, they had been very helpful during the 2010 floods in Punjab.
He also pointed out that the battalion in Bathinda was a temporary arrangement and would be relocated to Himachal in due course.
In view of their crucial role in mounting an effective response during times of emergency, Badal demanded a battalion be permanently stationed in Punjab and therefore urged Dr Singh to direct the authorities concerned to initiate early action in this regard.