In times of crisis, in India or abroad, the NDRF has extended a helping hand to those in need. Based upon the magnitude of the disaster, the Government puts to use all its resources — be it the NDRF or the armed forces. This synergy works best, says krishnan kumar

This article is in response to an earlier opinion piece titled, ‘Disaster Management a distant dream’ that appeared in The Pioneer on December 11, by Ramesh Davesar. While the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) appreciates the great efforts made by the writer in bringing to the fore the country’s disaster vulnerabilities and response mechanism, certain doubts, as raised by him, about the capabilities of the NDRF, are in sharp contradiction and tarnish the image of the force. This article will attempt to set a right perspective about the yeoman service rendered by the NDRF in times of national crises and disasters. 

To start with, as against the writer’s opinion that “the NDRF, bereft of funds, resources and staff, is today a truncated outfit”, and that “the armed forces continue to be the first responders in times of natural calamity”, suggesting that “the entire languid set-up be handed over to them for the creation of a composite response force”, it must be mentioned that:

 (i) There is no dearth of funds for the NDRF. Rather, sufficient funds are allotted every financial year. (ii) As far as resources and staff are concerned, the force is fully equipped with state-of-the-art equipment; has trained and specialised manpower to deal with natural as well as man-made disasters — both in India and abroad. Upgradation as well as review of existing equipment is a regular phenomenon. (iii) Regarding the NDRF being a truncated outfit, it would be apt to mention that the body has a pan-India presence with 12 battalion headquarters that have been placed as per the vulnerability profile of the region. There also exists 27 Regional Response Centres to cut down the response time. 

Second, the writer seems to imply that the armed forces continue to be the first responder in times of natural calamity. But the fact remains that it is the local community and authorities who are the immediate responders. When a situation goes beyond their coping capacity, the NDRF is pressed into action to provide specialised response, whereas all other agencies, including the armed forces, provide assistance as per their strength and capabilities. The NDRF is associated with the disaster management activities during pre-disaster and post-disaster phases as well.

Third, with regard to the establishment of a languid set-up, it would be pertinent to mention that in a short span of time, the NDRF has emerged as a household name in the realm of disaster response and disaster risk reduction. Despite all odds, the brave-hearts of NDRF have led from the front. Since its raising, the force has conducted 2,395 operations across the country and proved its worth by rescuing over 1.15 lakh people and evacuated over 5.8 lakh people. Additionally, the force also evacuated 2,360 livestock during various disasters.

The NDRF has also extended its helping hand to distressed people abroad. The response of the body during the triple disaster in Japan in 2011 was appreciated by the Japanese Government and the local people. Besides, the NDRF was the first agency that capitalised the golden hour rule of disaster response by being the first on ground after a massive earthquake hit Nepal in 2015. The help extended by NDRF has brought accolades to the nation. 

Fourth, the writer’s statement that “sadly, the present organisation, bereft of captive resources such as air effort, specialised equipment and lack of wherewithal to administrative support, among others makes for a truncated outfit” was grossly misleading.

Whenever the situation demanded, NDRF teams have proactively airlifted people, with help from the Air Force. As far as specialised equipment is concerned, the NDRF is second to none in the world. It is fully-equipped with latest, state-of-the-art disaster response equipment tools and has accessories that can match international standards. Regarding the wherewithal to administrative support, it is to intimate that NDRF operates under the supervision of the National Disaster Management Authority, whose Chairman is the Prime Minister, Ministry of Home Affairs, National Crisis Management Committee and the National Executive Council.

Fifth, the writer’s statement — “The NDRF deployed 55 teams with 38 boats that played a crucial role in providing relief in affected areas. But keeping in mind the magnitude, it drastically fell short of demand. To plug the void, axiomatically, the nation once again looked up to the armed forces....even as the NDRF is around, the involvement of the armed forces has virtually remained unchanged” — was factually wrong.

The facts and figures as provided were in themselves incorrect. During the Kerala floods, NDRF made its highest ever deployment in a single State by deputing its 58 teams with 207 boats. The deployment was done in consultation with the State Government. During the operations, NDRF rescued 535 persons and 119 livestock. It also safely evacuated 24,690 people. The force also established medical camps in various areas, provided medical assistance to 6,821 sick and needy persons. The selfless services of NDRF were highly appreciated by all.

So far as the involvement of the armed forces is concerned, while coordinated efforts of all rescue agencies which came forward to serve the countrymen at the time of need, should be appreciated, it doesn’t mean one should belittle the efforts of NDRF and other organisations. Based upon the magnitude of the disaster, all resources, which are at the disposal of the Government, are put to use, including the armed forces. Foreign assistance too is sought in different situations.

Lastly, after reading the article, it appeared that the writer has insufficient knowledge about the NDRF as well as the disaster management structure of the country. It is appreciable that today, NDRF has become the most trusted name in the field of disaster response and disaster risk reduction. Since raising of the force (NDRF), dependency on the armed forces for disaster response has been diverted towards the NDRF.  It is to be hoped that the above mentioned information will set the record straight and give a true picture of the capabilities and service rendered by the NDRF.

(The writer is Assistant Commandant/Public Relation Officer, NDRF)