In a move that will surely enhance search and rescue operation carried out after disaster, Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre (DMMC) would provide vehicles, equipped with special apparatus and instruments to all 13 districts in the State.
Each vehicle will be equipped with equipment to lift the vehicles under debris and some life saving apparatus. Especially meant for carrying out rescue operations, the vehicles would be made available to the districts before the onset of monsoon.
In first phase, the vehicles would be provided to disaster prone mountainous districts, including Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Pithoragarh, and Rudraprayag. Vehicles would be made available to remaining nine districts in the second phase.
DMMC would purchase the vehicles. A vehicle would cost between Rs10 lakh to Rs12 lakh. The cost may vary. DMMC has sent a proposal to the state government for the same.
The proposal is likely to be approved in next few days after which the DMMC will start process for purchasing thevehicles. DMMC executive director Piyush Rautela has also prepared list of the apparatus to be fitted in the vehicles.
“On our part, efforts are on to equip the districts with a specially designed vehicle so that rescue operation can be started immediately in case of any disaster.”
Rautela said that he decided to get the vehicles for the districts, taking a lesson from Uttarkashi disaster in 2012 when cloudbursts wreaked havoc.