Now that Rekha Nambiar has been appointed senior commandant, would NDRF induct more women officialsIJ How many vacancies do you plan to generate in the organisationIJ
This is the first time that a lady officer is commanding a NDRF battalion. Such move is aimed at addressing the gender issues where NDRF teams are deployed to do humanitarian assistance. The affected communities include women and children whose needs can be better appreciated by a woman commander or responder. In fact, the force requires to induct more women in various ranks although we have women paramedics and medical officers in the organisation. I have recently requested
various central forces to provide more women officers and personnel at the cutting edge level.
How do you encourage jawans and the officer cadre to join the NDRF from other paramilitary forcesIJ
Ours is a specialised force with humanitarian approach. The working culture and environment in the organisation is different from paramilitary forces from where these personnel arrive on deputation. These personnel get deputation allowance in the form of monetary benefits. Apart from that their outstanding performances are recognised in the form of Jeevan Raksha Padak, Prime Minister’s life Saving Award and Gallantry Awards et al. Further to recognize their services in NDRF, these personnel are awarded with NDRF medal which has recently been institutionalised by the Government of India. Our personnel are promoted to go on a training abroad to chisel their skills. In a nutshell the job in this organisation is very humanitarian and challenging which encourages the CAPFs personnel to join us.
Besides natural disaster, how do you train your team for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) emergenciesIJ
Our personnel are trained for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) emergencies, too. There are different kind of training in CBRN emergencies which starts from basic training and moves to advance trainings and specialised trainings. Our personnel are trained from prestigious training institutes outside the country as well in CBRN emergencies which include USA, Singapore, Japan, Korea et al. In chemical emergencies several of our personnel have been trained under aegis of organisation for prohibition of chemical weapons, a UN body. While dealing with such emergencies, NDRF responders are capable to detect the source of such emergency, can contain its spread, evacuate the victims to a safer place, provide pre-hospital treatment to victims and decontaminate them as well as the affected areas in clinical manners.
How prepared is the force to attend rescue and relief operations in case of train accidentsIJ
NDRF is prepared to attend rescue operations in case of train accidents. For this we conduct mock exercise with zonal railway authorities. Our battalions remain in regular touch with railway authorities. In major train accidents in recent past which include Malwan, Fatehpur (UP) 2011 , Chitheri, district-Vellore (Tamil Nadu) 2013, Gorakhpur (UP) 2014 and Gorakhpur cantonment (UP) 2014 in which 68 people were saved and 144 dead bodies retrieved.
In how many countries does India plan to send NDRF teamsIJ
We respond outside the country in case of disasters on specific direction of the Government. So far NDRF has responded in 2011 in Japan in the aftermath of Tsunami and this year in Nepal earthquake. These responses were under bilateral agreements. We are on the way of International External Classification (IEC) of our team under International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG). After the classification of our teams, NDRF would be registered to respond in disaster stricken countries under UN umbrella.
NDRF battalions are already located in 10 cities. Do you plan to set up more in other parts of IndiaIJ
Two more battalions have been raised — one in Varanasi (UP) and another in Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh). In total, 12 battalions are there in NDRF. Apart from that we are having teams locations in 22 places all over the country.
Do you plan to build a dedicated air wing of NDRFIJ
We are in need of dedicated air wing. To add here, MHA has earmarked certain flying hours in the air wing of MHA for air evacuation of our teams. Presently, we are banking upon on Air Force for air lifting of our teams at the disaster affected places.