Punjab demands permanent National Disaster Management centre At Ludhiana

By Punjabnewswire4u

CHANDIGARH, JAN 9

Punjab has strongly demanded to set up the permanent national disaster management centre at Ludhiana, keeping in view that the north zone of the country falls in the dangerous seismic zone.

Presiding over the meeting of the National Disaster Management Authority with the representatives of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and UT Chandigarh, Governor of Punjab Mr Shivraj.v.Patil said that all states must start awareness campaigns to make aware the people about the steps to be taken after the earthquake. He said that it was not possible to estimate about any earthquake, but we can reduce the loss by making aware the people about it. 

Speaking in the meeting on behalf on Chief Minister of Punjab, Financial Commissioner Revenue, Mr N.S.Kang said that NDMA should set up a permanent national disaster management center at Ludhiana. He said that the Punjab Government has already provide 50 acre land at Ludhiana for to set up the NDMA center and 39 young professionals has also been recruited for the center.

He said that keeping in view the directions of NDMA, Punjab Government has also prepared a state disaster management plan and appointed nodal officers in all departments for better coordination in any kind of disaster. Besides that Government has also identify 202 harmless buildings across the state, which would be used as a shelters in any critical situation. He further said that, a survey regarding the important Highways, Hospitals, Power Centers, Transport has also been completed. 

Mr Kang said that the Punjab Government has also taken the lead in setting up a State Disaster Response Force drawn up from the personnel of the Punjab Armed Police. One team of 50 persons has been trained by the NDMA, and 450 more persons of PAP would also be trained by NDMA.  

Mr M.Sashidhar ready asked the state governments to work for disaster management on priority basis as north zone falls in the high danger zone. Representatives of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh were also present in the meeting.