CAN THE CITY COPE?

CAN THE CITY COPE?
Disasters: All should work as a team
The Times of India


Is a terrorist attack, a law-and-order situation, to be handled largely by the police? For disaster management units, does such an attack fall under the purview of man-made disasters? Is there a nodal agency to handle terrorist attacks? Authorities too are grappling with these questions. Ashwin Raj finds out.
Most maintain that irrespective of the disaster, all departments and units will rise to the occasion. Tackling emergencies without a centralised agency with systematic programme is bound to go haywire — delayed reaction time, overlapping of duties of departments, etc.

Latha Krishna, secretary to the government, disaster management, said: “Any disaster should be tackled systematically. No disaster can be handled by one unit. Whether it’s the police, medical units or emergency services and civic bodies, all should work together.’’

The approach is applicable to every disaster, be it natural like floods or earthquakes or manmade ones like nuclear emergencies. “Ultimately, the administration will have to act insofar as response and readiness is concerned,’’ she added.

Terrorists attack, however, is a law and order matter, and has to be handled by the police or army in states like Jammu & Kashmir. Even in the event of Naxal attacks, it is intrinsically linked to the functioning of the police, she said.

According to N Shivaprasad, deputy commandant general, civil defence, the organisation is involved in training civilians and creating awareness in handling emergencies. “The civil defence is specially for wartime to assist the public. Though government machinery plays a vital role, trained civilians can help in various way during an emergency,’’ said Shivaprasad. Disaster resource network: The disaster management unit is in the process of building a massive database of all facilities required in the event of an emergency. Hospitals, blood banks, ambulance services, vehicles like bulldozers and cranes, equipment like boats and chainsaws, specialised personnel like divers, firemen.

The database which will include addresses and even telephone numbers of the facilities, will be accessible to all district heads and also citizens, Latha Krishna said.

ABOUT THE ACT

Disaster — a catastrophe, mishap, calamity or grave occurrence affecting any area, arising from natural or man-made causes, or by accident or negligence which results in substantial loss of life or human suffering or damage to, and destruction of, property, or damage to, or degradation of, environment, and is of such a nature or magnitude as to be beyond the coping capacity of the community of the affected area. (The Act was expanded three years ago to cover even man-made disasters).

WHOM TO CALL
BMTC has urged its passengers to inform the police or the BMTC itself if they see any person moving suspiciously or find any unclaimed package in buses or bus stops. The numbers to contact are: & Kempegowda bus stand: 2295-2311/2295-2314/- 9844030972 & Shivajinagar bus stand: 2292-5321/2292-5324/9844013926 & KR Market: 2295-2331/2295-2334/98443-53887 & Shanti Nagar bus stand: 2295-2422/2295-2522/98447-13153 & BMTC control room: 2295-2422/22952522/98440 98194. & Police: 100