Karnataka government revives state disaster management authority

Karnataka government has revived State Disaster Manment Authority (SDMA) and taken steps to set up such authorities at district-level as well, state Revenue Minister R Ashoka said on Friday. SDMA would form teams and deploy m in each district as well as 19 government departments. y would be equipped like National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to act quickly in event of any calamity, minister told a press conference.

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government stumbled upon idea of reviving SDMA following floods in many parts of state. We have formed a State Disaster Manment Authority which met recently. previous government never initiated any measure to strengn Authority despite a 10-year-old court direction to establish it, Ashoka said. Karnataka government has also issued direction to set up such authorities in every district, he ded.

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Roles of SDMA

In event of calamities, authorities would act swiftly even before arrival of NDRF to provide relief to victims of disasters. We have constituted teams comprising 200 people at four places in Karnataka which will work under SDMA. y will be located at four places Bengaluru, Hubballi, Hyderab- Karnataka region and coastal Karnataka, Minister said. He ded that government has identified 19 departments such as those of health, food, agriculture, animal husbandry, among ors where such teams would be positioned.

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In event of calamities, we may t have to send messs to departments to join rescue operations. teams in 19 departments will come on ir own. We will impart m training and purchase equipment and vehicles on par with NDRF, minister said. Ashoka said most of personnel in teams would come from police, fire and emergency services.

A senior government official, dealing with natural disaster manment, told PTI that authority existed earlier but was w almost defunct. new government in state has revived it and initiated measures to set it up in every district, said official. He ded that deputy commissioners of district would be president of District Disaster Manment Authority (DDMA) while district Panchayat president would be its vice-president.

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