NEW DELHI: Months after the Express expose "Disaster Management is a Disaster in Itself", the government admitted that various projects crucial for National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)-Country's apex disaster management agency- has been delayed. Responding to a question raised by congress member Shashi Tharoor in Lok Sabha, MoS Home Kiren Rijiju said the government has initiated several measures to deal with the problem.
“I accept that there is delay in implementation of the project. There are various steps which have been initiated to deal with the problem. The Central Government, through NDMA and through the Home Ministry, is constantly in touch with the State Governments to formulate any policy to deal with the situation,” Rijiu said in his response.
Tharoor congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram said the projects like constituting a National Disaster Communication network and national Disaster Management Informatics system, the National School Safety Programme and National Earthquake Risk Mitigation Project was not completed. Tharoor whether the government has identified the reasons for such delays and what are the corrective measures to resolve the delays.
The Express had earlier reported in August last years that NDMA’s ‘operation centre’ was running with only one telephone line. Quoting from preliminary audit report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), the report had pointed out inordinate delays in installing a emergency communication system for the 24X7 operation centre.
“The information was being disseminated through existing single MTNL line which was a time-consuming means with single arrangement,” the audit report accessed by the Express had stated.