Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 30 Sep: At the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA), trainee Deputy Superintendents of Police from the 2024 and 2026 batches today obtained detailed information about the state’s disaster management system, institutional framework, and the role of the police and disaster management machinery in various phases of disaster management. The trainee officers were also briefed on disaster risk reduction, preparedness, response, relief, and rehabilitation, as well as the key responsibilities of the police during a disaster, and the coordination mechanisms between various departments.
During the meeting, the trainee officers were given detailed information about the functioning of the Disaster Management Department, the concept and structure of the IRS (Incident Response System), warning dissemination mechanisms, pre-disaster preparedness, rapid response during a disaster, and post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction processes. The role of the National Disaster Management Authority and the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority, policy guidelines, and their implementation processes at the state level were also highlighted. The officers also gained an understanding of the workings of the SEOC and DEOC.
Addressing the program, Additional Chief Executive Officer (Administration), Prakash Chandra, stated that the police department plays a crucial and sensitive role in the entire disaster management process—pre-, during, and post-disaster. He emphasised that in any disaster, the police force is one of the first agencies to arrive on the scene, with responsibilities not limited to maintaining law and order but also actively assisting in the protection of human life and immediate relief and rescue operations.
He explained that the police’s primary role during a disaster includes ensuring prompt access to affected areas, safe evacuation, crowd and traffic management, assisting in the smooth distribution of relief materials, securing sensitive sites, controlling rumours, and disseminating accurate information. Furthermore, the police also have a crucial responsibility to ensure effective joint action by coordinating with the administration, Disaster Management Department, health, fire brigade, SDRF, and other agencies.
Speaking on the occasion, Additional Chief Executive Officer (Implementation), DIG Rajkumar Negi stated that the trainee officers will be responsible police officers in the future, assuming strategic and leadership roles related to disaster management. He stated that in times like these, dedication, devotion, human sensitivity, discipline, and quick decision-making are the keys to effective disaster management. He expressed hope that such orientation programs will provide the trainee Deputy Superintendents with a grounded understanding of disaster management and that they will contribute significantly to strengthening and strengthening the state’s disaster management system in the future.
Present on the occasion were Dinesh Kumar Punetha, Dr PD Mathur, Trainee Deputy Superintendents of Police Daksh Shokhand, Luv Sharma, Aditi Punetha, Himanshu Diwakar, Aditya Tiwari, Divyesh Upadhyay, Ankit Thapliyal, Samiran Bhatt, Vinay Singh, Deepti Kaida, and Tanuja Bisht.
