New Delhi, January 19
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has chalked out a course plan to begin a first-ever comprehensive forest fires controlling and combat training for its personnel, a top official of the force said today.
The training module has been worked out to ensure maximum possible mitigation of losses caused by forest fires.
Speaking at a function to mark 18th Raising Day of the federal contingency force, NDRF Director General Atul Karwal said the force would “play an active role in this disaster combat discipline” and three of its teams would begin training from February 6.
Karwal also said the force was in touch with the Ministry of Environment and Forests with regard to the training on tackling fires in forest areas.
A parliamentary panel had last year expressed concern over forest fires not being officially part of disasters tackled by the specialised force.
“Forest fires are a growing threat globally. The incidents of forest fires not only damage resources, but also damage biodiversity, cause climate change, adversely impact tribal livelihood and lead to severe distress among flora and fauna,” the panel had said, suggesting forest fires should be “expeditiously” added to the list of disasters tackled by the NDRF.
Karwal said eight more regional response centres (RRCs) for the NDRF would also be established across the country in the near future. The RRCs are locations that house small NDRF self-contained teams based at marked physical locations in various states that are vulnerable from the disaster point of view.
