India will ensure zero casualty during heat waves: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said his ministry has prepared a plan to ensure that no lives are lost in the country during heat waves in the next few years, with the underlying principle of the Modi Government being “proactive” rather than “reactive” towards disasters.

The minister spoke after he presented the President’s Colour to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) at its 8th battalion campus here. The recognition, given in the form of a flag, is awarded to a military or police unit for rendering exceptional service.

The honour was bestowed upon the NDRF in its 20th year of establishment, after it was raised in 2006 as a federal contingency force to undertake relief and rescue operations during natural and artificial disasters.

The President’s Colour is not just an “acknowledgement” for the service of the NDRF. Still, also of all the state disaster response forces, the state machinery down to the level of the panchayats, the NCC (National Cadet Corps), NSS (National Service Scheme), ‘Apda Mitras’ (civil defence volunteers), among others, Shah said.

The minister said the Modi Government aimed to ensure “zero casualty and minimum property damage” during tragedies and calamities, including cyclones, earthquakes and floods. 

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is well prepared to combat the “serious challenge” of heat waves in the country, and we will be able to ensure “zero casualty” and no loss of lives over the next few years, Shah said. Every year, numerous people lose their lives in various states due to heat strokes and health conditions emerging due to heat waves.

Our approach and policy have been “proactive” against disasters rather than being just “reactive”, he said.

“Under Prime Minister Modiji’s leadership, we are in a situation where we can move towards the aim of zero casualty,” he said. The minister said that before the Modi Government took charge in 2014, the approach to disasters was rehabilitation- and relief-oriented. “Earlier, the approach was that disasters struck, those who survived were rescued, relief was sent, and the job was done. Modiji brought a different approach; he incorporated the concept of safety to ensure and minimise loss of life and property,” he said.

We have successfully travelled the course from ensuring a minimum of casualties to zero casualties, Shah said.

Shah said India has made its name as an “undisputed global leader” in disaster management and being the “first responder” during calamities. He stressed that the role of NDRF will be “vital” as disaster incidents rise due to global warming and climate change.

Shah added that the NDRF has earned the “love and trust” of the people of the country and even abroad through its operations.

He said the Government has actively fostered community participation to create a disaster-resilient society and ecosystem, and that the states have been made “self-reliant” as NDRF has trained numerous state disaster response forces.

The minister also inaugurated NDRF infrastructure projects worth Rs 111 crore during the event.

NDRF Director General (DG) Piyush Anand said the force has undertaken more than 12,000 operations since its creation and has saved 1.5 lakh lives and rescued nine lakh people till now.

Anand said that, to improve synergy between the central force and its counterpart state units, they have launched a new “co-location” initiative in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, where personnel from the two units will live together while on duty and, as a result, learn from each other.