The South Tripura district administration with the technical support from 109-Bn Border Security Force conducted a 13-day-long training programme on disaster management for the Civil Defence volunteers.
This was for the first time in the state that such a training programme was organized for the Civil Defence volunteers as part of the state government’s decision to bring 1 per cent population into Civil Defence activities.
Akhlesh Kumar Tiwari, Commandant of 109-Bn BSF, had attended a district-level meeting with the DM and Collector, South Tripura and offered his view to utilize Pradeep Kumar, an ex-NDRF Master Trainer who returned back to his own cadre for the effective disaster management in South Tripura district. Then the ball was rolling in the district to connect the knowledge into practice and clicked into the initiation of extensive training of 50 community young Civil Defence Volunteers.
The training for the first batch was organized at 109-Bn HQ of BSF from April 25 to May 7. To facilitate the training, the BSF gave all technical and logistics support.
The training infrastructure, mobilization of five additional disaster management trained persons, accommodation for the trainees looking at the female and male participants, transportation, fooding, exposure visits, practical and tests were provided in a professional manner.
During the training, the Civil Defence Volunteers were exposed to a new and disciplined environment and learnt disaster management even beyond the programme schedule for aiming at saving precious lives and properties from disaster risks.
During the valedictory programme of the training, SumitSharan, IG BSF, Tripura Frontier, was present and praised the joint initiative taken by DDMA and BSF.
A.K. Bhattacharya, Director of Relief, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management, Civil Defence, Fire and Emergency Services, expressed his gratitude to the BSF for organizing such a training programme for the Civil Defence Volunteers which is the first time ever in Tripura and sought such cooperation for other districts too.
The State Government will be benefited from harnessing the valued resources of BSF for effective disaster management in Tripura. The initiative taken by the DDMA South Tripura particularly the DM & Collector and the DPO-Disaster Management is a bright example for others for better community-based disaster preparedness in the District and State as well. This will ensure continuous engagement of the community volunteers and prompt response to any disaster situation.
The Union Government of India had taken a policy decision to train Civil Defence (CD), AapdaMitra volunteers and Women SHGs at the village level in Disaster Management in a meeting held on April 7 and 8 in New Delhi under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister.
The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) is taking steps to train Civil Defence and AapdaMitra volunteers throughout the state and to bring one percent population of the state under the Civil Defence activities. The journey of civil Defence is something new, clubbing disaster management and fire and emergency services. The present government headed by Chief Minister Biplab Deb decided to expand civil defence activities throughout the state after coming to power.
On July 27, last year, all districts of Tripura were declared as “Civil Defence District”. Now all the sub-divisions of Tripura have civil defence volunteers.