Add’l Secretary NDMA calls on Hon’ble Lt Governor Brig (Dr) BD Mishra.

Leh, Aug 02, 2023: Additional Secretary, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Shri Alok Kumar called on the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd), at Raj Niwas. Officials from NDMA; Secretary to HLG, Shri Ravinder Kumar, IAS and Secretary, Disaster Management, Ladakh, Shri Amit Sharma, IAS, were present in the meeting.
Shri Alok informed about various mock drill exercises conducted by NDMA throughout the country depending on the vulnerability of the area to ensure preparedness in case of natural disasters. He also informed about efforts being made by them to empower their systems to ensure minimal loss of lives and properties. He further informed about their various mitigation projects such as the national cyclone risk mitigation project, etc.
Shri Alok informed about the National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) and the State Disaster Risk Management Fund provided by the Finance Commission for response and relief, recovery and reconstruction and preparedness and capacity building. He also informed about their plan to hold mock drill exercises on cloudburst in Ladakh and assess projects required in Ladakh, the availability of equipment and manpower and also the requirements to carry out rescue and relief operations in Ladakh.
Shri Alok highlighted the need to build the capacities of Aapda Mitra (community volunteers) through proper training at the community level and the SDRF, NDRF and Army forces personnel at the state level. He also assured that NDMA will provide all possible assistance in this regard. He emphasised the need to have a permanent disaster management cadre in Ladakh.
Shri Alok informed about the launch of Cell Broadcasts by NDMA by the end of this year as the second phase of its Common Alerting Protocol System (CAPS). He also informed that cell broadcast is a system of delivering messages or alerts on the mobile phones of people in a defined locality – geo-targeted and geo-fenced and the mobile phones in the targeted area will sound out alerts automatically even if it is on a silent mode.
Stating that natural disasters and their intensity cannot be anticipated earlier, the HLG emphasised the need to gear up for the worst-case scenario at the worst possible time-particularly at night time through effective communication systems, the arrival of the relief and rescue team at the place of incident at the earliest and providing most critical things required by the affected people. He stated that the responders must be self-motivated to give their best during the rescue and relief operations.