(a) whether the Union Government has received any proposal from the Government of Assam to establish an elaborate and fully equipped advanced warning system in Assam;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the steps taken by the Government to mitigate any possible disaster which may follow on earthquake in Assam?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE DEPARTMENT OF OCEAN DEVELOPMENT (SHRI KAPIL SIBAL)
(a) No Sir.
(b) Question does not arise.
(c) Ministry of Home Affairs, the nodal agency for disaster management has initiated efforts to strengthen the preparedness for effective handling of the disaster situation arising from natural calamities including earthquake in the country by taking up the training and equipping of specialist response teams of National Disaster Response Force. These specialist teams are being trained in “medical first response†and “collapsed structures search and rescue†and will be available to supplement efforts by the State Governments concerned in the event of a major disaster situation. The State Governments have also been advised to set up specialist response teams. GOI-UNDP Disaster Risk Management Programme has also been taken up in 169 districts in 17 multi-hazard prone states including 12 districts in Assam as a pilot programme. Under this programme, 12 district Disaster Management Committees have been constituted in Assam. Disaster Management Teams at District, Block, Gram Panchayat and Village level are being trained in first aid and search & rescue, teachers are being imparted training in disaster management, engineers/architects, masons are being trained in disaster resistant technologies/construction, 9 district disaster management plans and 685 village Disaster Management Plans have been prepared and construction of Emergency Operation Centres at state level is being supported in 12 districts of Assam.