HYDERABAD: It was recently announced that the disaster management wing of the GHMC would be made into a full-fledged body to deal with natural and man-made disasters in the city. However, it will take another three to six months for the body to become fully functional as it needs the green signal from the State government, says director of enforcement, vigilance and disaster management wing of GHMC Vishwajit Kampati.
The former Rajanna-Sircilla district superintendent of police said top priority would be given to removal of nala and tank encroachments, and evacuation of dilapidated buildings. A full-fledged organisation will be established at Buddha Bhavan on Tank Bund Road. Its officials and staff will be drawn from various government departments and will be trained for about two months.
Removal of critical encroachments that have come up along major nalas (drains) and are obstructing free flow of storm water, thereby causing inundation of low-lying areas, will be taken up on priority. Of the 833 critical bottlenecks, 314 structures have been removed and the rest of 519 will be removed in a phased manner once the men, machinery, tools and communication systems are put in place.
The DM wing will look after important works of disaster prevention and disaster response which include identification of issues and structures which pose imminent danger to life and property or which can cause major inconvenience, and relay relevant reports to the enforcement wing or agency for taking effective preventive measures.
Quick Response Teams will be positioned in strategic locations in each zone to attend to any emergency in a rapid manner, taking up disaster response and relief work by Disaster Response Force. There will be one QRT for each zone and a full-fledged DRF at the directorate. The QRTs and DRF will be provided with necessary vehicles, equipment, machinery, tools & communication gadgets to carry out their work.
The enforcement wing will crack down on further unauthorised construction on a site after an order restraining or stopping such unlawful activity has been passed. The wing will have eight enforcement teams, one for each zone. Two ETs in the directorate will act as a task force. The zonal enforcement teams will act only upon receipt of official orders. Each team will consist of a police inspector, executive engineer, assistant city planner, station fire officer, assistant municipal commissioner, AMOH, legal officer, two SIs, eight police constables and 10 labourers.