| 'Govt demeans significance of SDRF' | | ''Only 30% personnel deployed in its units, rest utilized for un-prescribed works | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, July 10: The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) is mandated to work in disaster-like situations, search, rescue operations in actual disasters and assistance to civil administration in relief and rehabilitation process, but majority of its manpower is being utilized for un-prescribed works. Already running short of its required strength, the majority of its personnel have been deployed such works which have nothing to do with disaster management.
Sources told Early Times that no standard operating procedures had been prescribed for deployment of force personnel. Against a sanctioned strength of approximately 1,500 the actual strength of the force was around 1,100 and of which only 30 percent were actually deployed in its units.
Shockingly, the rest of its personnel were utilized for purposes such as parade, quarter guard duties, attachment with Home Guard/Civil Defence units, various offices, attached to political leaders and serving/ retired police officers as PSOs/ orderlies and with other trade duties like Gardener, Carpenter, Plumber, Painter, Barber, Electrician, Washer man, Tailor and Mason, they informed. The state government had established the SDRF in 2012 out of existing two battalions of Auxiliary Police. The mandate of the force was deployment in disaster-like situations, search/ rescue operation in actual disasters and assistance to civil administration in relief and rehabilitation process.
"It was mandatory for force personnel to undergo a basic re-orientation course followed by specialized courses. Only few personnel were imparted training on orientation course, some personnel were imparted training on disaster management courses and some on specialized courses like Avalanche rescue course, Water ship course, Biological incident course, Advance search and rescue operation, Auxiliary Firefighting, Flood/cyclone disaster response, Earthquake, Life support basic course, Life Support advance course, Collapse structure search and location course, Incident command management system, Emergency Operation Center Management, Chemical Disaster first responder course," sources said, adding that specialists such as engineers, technicians, electricians, dog squads and medical/ paramedics were not available with the Force. |
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