THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In an effort to tap the potential and expertise of the local population in aiding rescue operations during natural calamities, a civil volunteer force consisting locals from each region is being set up, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the Assembly on Monday.
The fire and rescue service personnel will provide training to the civil volunteer force to deal with emergency situations. “They won’t be part of the fire and rescue service. But can aid and join hands with the force during emergency situations,” Pinarayi said while responding to a calling attention motion on the rain havoc, in the Assembly.
There were demands from various corners that the local residents should be given training to attend to such situations.The CM assured that action has been taken to restore traffic through Thamarassery road where the protection wall got damaged in the rains. “The issue of total traffic by Kodagu Collector has been brought to Karnataka CM’s attention. He has agreed to look into the issue,” Pinarayi said. The CM said though there was major landslide in the road towards Wayanad, efforts are being taken to avoid total traffic ban. The issue of insufficient compensation has been raised before the Centre, he said.
The CM said 24-hour control rooms and the team of personnel consisting of officials from police, fire & rescue and revenue departments have been deployed to deal with emergency situations. In Wayanad 218 houses were partially destroyed while seven houses got completely damaged. Agriculture loss in 130 hectares has been calculated.
Three people died and seven got injured. As many as 1,671 people from 431 families have been shifted to 21 relief camps. Directives have been issued to ensure that the camps are maintained in a hygienic manner to avoid spread of contagious diseases.
“Medical teams have been deployed to visit the camps on a daily basis and conduct medical checking. The free ration for tribal people will be delivered at their houses,” the CM said, adding that a meeting of the State Disaster Management Authority on June 15 reviewed the situation.
Urgent financial support will be given to families of the victims. Necessary instructions have been given to District Collectors in nine districts.Earlier, C K Saseendran pointed at the need to identify disaster-prone areas. Sunny Joseph, MLA, demanded that those who lost houses should be brought under the government’s LIFE Mission, while K C Joseph urged the government to immediately address the issue at Thottilpalam-Koottupuzha.