E-Paper
In disaster prone HP, setting up of SDRF caught in red tape
Notwithstanding the state’s vulnerability to natural disasters, which continue to claim life and cause widespread destruction of property, the proposal still shuttles from one office to another.
Even as the Kinnaur landslide tragedy has turned back focus on the delicate ecology of the region, the Himachal Pradesh government seems to have learnt no lessons as the plan to set up a state disaster response force (SDRF) is still caught in a red-tape after over a decade.
Notwithstanding the state’s vulnerability to natural disasters, which continue to claim life and cause widespread destruction of property, the proposal still shuttles from one office to another.
Every time a disaster strikes, the state government has to either look up to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), army or paramilitary forces for help.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) had asked all states to constitute their own response force to tackle disasters after which the then Prem Kumar Dhumal-led government had mooted a proposal but the matter was put on a backburner.
It was after the 2013 rains that triggered a devastating flood in Kinnaur that the state government asked the department concerned to speed up the process to set up the force.
State police then drew up a plan to raise three companies of SDRF -- one each it is stationed at Pandoh in Mandi, Dharamshala, and the state capital Shimla.
It proposed that police personnel in the SDRF companies will serve a minimum of five years before being replaced by younger cops. State had to bear the cost of raising SDRF.
The state government also discussed the proposal with the NDMA which agreed to provide equipment but said no to train the police personnel. The NDMA said the option was unviable as cops have to perform other important duties like maintaining law and order.
The state government re-examined the proposal of setting up SDRF after the heavy monsoon rains caused widespread devastation in 2018.
It pushed a proposal envisaging setting up a team of 350 personnel. Government proposed to draw 50 police personnel each from the six Indian reserve battalions in the state. However, the state police turned down the scheme citing shortage of personnel after which the government proposed to form the SDRF by recruiting personnel from home guards and fire department.
This year, 249 people had been killed in natural calamities in the monsoon season till August 12 while the state has suffered cumulative losses upto ₹783.crores.
