Thane TDRF to recruit 25 more jawans

Thane

Thane

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The Thane Disaster Response Force (TDRF), which was formed in May, will increase its strength to 50.

The team, which has 25 personnel, will add 25 more to deal with disasters better.

Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) claimed it had recruited 50 personnel last year, but it got only 25 jawans, who were trained to tackle different forms of disaster.

A proposal regarding the same has been tabled for approval in the standing committee meeting scheduled on December 9.

A TMC official said, “In 2018, we had proposed to appoint 50 jawans and train them in rescue operations for all kinds of disaster. However, it was well past December till the proposal was approved in the general body. This year, we started the recruitment procedure before monsoon but got only 25 jawans from the Mumbai’s fire training college. We also kept 15 jawans on stand-by.”

He added that this year the TDRF team proved helpful during floods. “The Thane TDRF team was the first to reach Vangani when an express train was stuck in floods. The team also rescued thousands of people stuck in Thane and Diva floods throughout the monsoon. Thus, the civic commissioner wants to increase the team’s strength to 50 jawans. The NDRF team has 50 jawans, so we will have the same number.”

He said the team can now attend to emergencies in Thane, Mumbai and Palghar.

The civic commissioner had approved the TDRF team on lines of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), which is stationed in Thane throughout the year. A team of 50 jawans was supposed to be formed, however this year before monsoon merely 25 people were recruited. The team is given the same equipment and communication system as the NDRF team.