In a high-level meeting on disaster management held at Vigyan Bhavan on Tuesday, Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha of Tripura appealed for central support to bolster the state’s disaster preparedness and mitigation efforts. Tripura, located in seismic zone 5, is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes and other natural disasters.
Presided over by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the meeting was attended by ministers of disaster management from various states and Union Territories across the country. Chief Minister Saha highlighted the initiatives undertaken by the Tripura government to combat and mitigate the impact of disasters. He emphasized the need for continuous review meetings to address issues related to floods, droughts, and other potential calamities.
Chief Minister Dr Saha expressed his satisfaction that, despite the devastating floods of 2018 and 2019, the state had not experienced severe flood situations in recent times. He attributed this positive outcome to the training of government officials in disaster mitigation proposals.
During the meeting, Chief Minister Saha disclosed that over 12 crore Common Protocol Alerts were issued in Tripura in a single year, and social media platforms were being utilized to disseminate these crucial alerts. He stressed the expeditious utilization of the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) and called upon the Government of India to implement disaster mitigation training programs for its officials.
To enhance Tripura’s disaster management capabilities, the state government has established four companies comprising 552 personnel of the State Disaster Response Force. Out of these, 440 personnel have already undergone basic training, with plans to train the remaining personnel. Chief Minister Saha also sought the support of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to provide advanced training to officials who have completed the basic training.
In a bid to further strengthen the state’s disaster management authorities, the Tripura government has decided to create 20 additional permanent posts. Moreover, the state is implementing schemes in line with the guidelines of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
Dr Saha also mentioned the formulation of the Tripura Fire and Emergency Services Act 2022, based on the Model Fire Bill of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The estimated budget for Tripura, as decided during the meeting of the Fire Advisory Council on June 11, 2021, is Rs. 118 crore. He confirmed that all central government schemes on disaster management were being implemented effectively in the state, with regular updates on the National Disaster Management Information System portal.
Furthermore, the state has trained 1000 “Apada Mitra” (disaster volunteers) and aims to ensure one volunteer for every 50 people in Tripura. Disaster management has also been introduced as a subject in various trainings and schools. Civil Defence activities, previously limited to Agartala, have been extended to all districts of the state. Mission-mode training has resulted in the training of 3000 volunteers in the past two years.
The Chief Minister urged the central government to implement a project that includes a one-time grant for strengthening disaster infrastructure and procuring additional equipment, further enhancing Tripura’s disaster management capabilities.
