Thursday, May 9, 2013

North District Disaster Management Authority convenes coordination meeting

MANGAN, 08 May: A coordination meeting on roles and responsibilities of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) was convened here yesterday chaired by the District Magistrate (N), CP Dhakal, who also chairs the DDMA, Zilla Adhyaksha, Anguli Lepcha, who is also the co-chairperson of the Authority, Upadhakshya NT Lepcha, Sr. SP (N) BK Tamang, ADC RK Yadav, CMO (N), KT Lepcha, DFO (T), SDMs of Mangan and Chungthang, DCSO (N), officers of the Power and Roads & Bridges Departments, MNP councillors, DPO, LR&DM and other department heads.
In his address, the DM, reiterated that all departments should submit their respective requirement lists for disaster management to the DDMA. He referred to the recent flash-flood in Dikchu to reiterate the need for all agencies to stay alert.
He also pointed out that people are coming for natural calamity grants for fields and domestic animals lost to hail and heavy rains and the concerned BDO’s and executing officers should play consciously undertake a more active role to attend to the people’s requests and carry out prompt and proper survey of the claims. DM’s office alone cannot handle all the cases, he stressed.
The engineering cells will have to work in coordination with the administrative wings and follow prescribed rules and guidelines properly, he said.
Meanwhile, the District Administrative Centre has also started SMS service and prepared a telephone directory of all the concerned personnel, Panchayats and MNP councillors to ensure quick action and response to disasters, he added.
Sr. SP (N), in turn, informed that the police was invariably the first responder to disaster events and shared that improved civic arrangements like proper drainage would go a long way towards ensuring safety.
The co-chairperson, the Zilla Adhakshya, in her address, stressed that ward level disaster relief teams need to be mobilized and adequate safety measures initiated forthwith to reinforce the district for the monsoons. Discussions on disasters alone offer no solution if it did not lead to proper preparation, she said, adding that in Dzongu, above Lingzya, the people were facing problems of water supply, irrigation, lack of ICDS centre and road connectivity since 18 September 2011 earthquake, restoration works for which were still pending at several places.
North district highways are not only for the movement of VIPs as at the time of VIP movement, the roads are repaired and then neglected again, she added.
The Upadhakshya focused on the need for proper awareness and instructions on rules and regulations concerning road reserve areas. He also sought that adequate stocks of essential commodities be maintained well in advance of the monsoons.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Readers are invited to comment on, criticise, run down, even appreciate if they like something in this blog. Comments carrying abusive/ indecorous language and personal attacks, except when against the people working on this blog, will be deleted. It will be exciting for all to enjoy some earnest debates on this blog...