NEW DELHI: Months after Express exposed that “disaster management was a disaster in itself”, the Centre on Tuesday admitted that there had been delay in implementing various projects crucial for the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the country’s apex disaster management agency.
Responding to a question raised by Congress member Shashi Tharoor in the Lok Sabha, MoS for Home Kiren Rijiju said the Centre had taken several steps to address the issue.
“I accept that there is delay in the implementation of projects. Various measures have been initiated to deal with the problem. The Centre, through the NDMA and the MHA, is constantly in touch with state governments to formulate any policy to address the situation,” Rijiu said in his response.
Tharoor said the projects like constituting a National Disaster Communication Network and National Disaster Management Informatics System, National School Safety Programme, and National Earthquake Risk Mitigation Project were still pending. He wondered whether the government had identified the reasons for such delays and corrective measures to resolve the same.
Express had in August last reported that the NDMA’s operation centre was running with a single telephone line. Quoting from the preliminary audit report of the CAG, Express had pointed out inordinate delays in installing an emergency communication system for the NDMA operation centre that functions 24X7.