Bio-research body demands setting up of disaster management office at Yamunanagar

A meeting of the governing body of Society of Environment Management and Bio-Research (SEMBR) was held in Yamunanagar and it passed a resolution for the establishment of a permanent disaster management office at Yamunanagar by the state government.

Dr KR Bhardwaj, patron of the SEMBR, wrote a letter to the Additional Chief Secretary and Financial Commissioner (Revenue and Disaster Management Department) over this demand.

“I have sent a representation to senior officers of the state government seeking the establishment of a permanent district disaster management office at Yamunanagar for effective disaster preparedness, mitigation, response and coordination,” Dr Bhardwaj said.

He said that Yamunanagar district was located adjacent to three states (Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand) and above all located in the foothills of the Himalaya from where the Yamuna descends.

“This area is very sensitive due to the presence of the Yamuna. It has become a flood-prone area. There is always a risk of accidents and fires due to the presence of dense population, national highways, railway workshop, thermal power plant, Kalesar National Park, Kalesar Wildlife Sanctuary and a cluster of industries,” Dr Bhardwaj added.

He further mentioned that this district was vulnerable to various natural and man-made disasters such as floods, mining accidents, fire industrial accidents, fire incidents, epidemics and extreme weather events.

He pointed out that the absence of a dedicated permanent disaster management office hampered timely coordination, planning, capacity building, equipment storage and emergency response during disasters.