As the floods wreak havoc in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, it turns out the specially trained 10,000-member National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is headless. The current operations of NDRF in the two disaster-hit States are being handled by the second-in-command officers.
The Union Home Ministry is yet to finalise the head of NDRF, the specially-trained 10,000 member force. The post of Director General of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) became vacant after the retirement of senior IPS officer PM Nair on May 31.
At present, ITBP Chief Ajay Chadha is in given additional charge of NDRF DDG. The policy paralysis in UPA Government has hit in the appointments of successors in well advance. The custom is that next head is selected at least three-four weeks before the retirement of the incumbent officer.
Home Ministry’s meetings on monitoring the relief works at the flood affected areas are now attended by Inspector General (Operations) of NDRF. ITBP chief Chadha is also instructing the NDRF officers, as well as monitoring the operations of ITBP in relief works.
“The NDRF, however, is performing its best given the present challenge of undertaking relief operations in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, but keeping it without a full-time head for such a long time speaks about the importance that is given to such a crucial organisation,” a senior official said.