Under the auspices of the Revenue Department of the state, the North East Regional Centre of the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, in collaboration with the State Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development, conducted a comprehensive four-day off-campus training program. The focus was on community-based disaster management plans, hosted at the SIPARD campus in Agartala.
The primary goal of the training was to enhance the capacity and skills of local communities to effectively respond to disasters as an integral aspect of their daily lives. A key component was to introduce the concept of village-level disaster management plans, ensuring preparedness and swift action in times of crisis.
Dr. V. Suresh Babu, Associate Professor at NIRD&PR – NERC, formally inaugurated the training program. He emphasized its significance in equipping individuals within communities with clear directives on responding to disaster warnings and occurrences. “Our aim is to empower communities to handle disasters independently and proactively,” Dr. Babu stated.
Highlighting the program’s reach, Dr. Babu noted that district and block-level officers received training to cascade knowledge to their respective jurisdictions across the state. This hierarchical dissemination aims to build a robust framework for disaster management at every administrative tier.
During the training, Dr. Suresh Babu visited the disaster-prone area of Pashchim Champamura, expressing concern over inadequate sanitary drainage leading to the contamination of drinking water. “We convened district and panchayat officials along with SDMs to discuss and propose solutions,” he informed reporters. The engagement also included briefing line departments on governmental initiatives aimed at mitigating local challenges.
Dr. Babu emphasized the potential of decentralized planning in bolstering disaster risk reduction efforts within flagship development schemes across Tripura.
The training program underscores a proactive approach by state authorities in fostering community resilience against disasters, marking a significant stride towards sustainable disaster management practices in the region.
