The warning issued by the Meteorological Department on the possibility of very heavy to heavy rain in the next couple of days with warnings of high waves and dissuading fishermen from venturing out into the seas, has once again brought to the fore the vulnerability of Goa to natural disasters.
Goa has already experienced flash floods at Canacona almost five years ago. Thereafter there has been an almost annual occurrence of floods, though the scale of devastation caused may vary. This is a grim reminder about the State’s susceptibility to natural calamities and ill preparedness of the administration to handle such disasters despite their claim.
The Disaster Management Cell has been functional, though for a long time it was only on paper. But the present North Goa Collector Nila Mohanan has shown some initiative to try and get the cell to function efficiently. In South Goa, the situation is a little better with the disaster management plan being drawn up by the Mamlatdar Ashutosh Apte. But thereafter nothing much seems to have been done.
However, the Disaster Management Cell by itself does not have a dedicated disaster management team and has to rely on line departments like the fire brigade, police and the department of civil defence and home guards to get into action and effect rescue operations at the affected areas. The fire brigade has the equipment and trained manpower, the police are trained in their duty while the civil defence volunteers also train on and off.
However, most people involved in these departments – unfortunately off the record – say that they are there when called. But admit that they have not been trained together on a regular basis and only do so when the disaster management people from Delhi come down and hold their exercises once in a while.
Also, the Civil Defence volunteers, under the Home Guards & Civil Defence department the only dedicated natural disaster volunteers, are given step-motherly treatment by the police department under which they fall and most of them do not even have identity cards. They are only invited for functions and are not consulted on anything at all. Also they are supposed to be a separate entity, the top police hierarchy treats them as their own fiefdom and the DySPs who are posted as Commandant General Home Guards & Director Civil Defence, over the years treat it as a punishment posting.
Fire and Emergency Services
The department is ready to tackle any emergency, claims Fire and Emergency Services Director Ashok Menon, adding that besides imparting training for various disasters/calamities, the department – also a regional training centre – has already trained 20 Goan fire personnel in swift water/flood rescue operations.
Of these, six are posted in Curchorem to cater to requirements in the South Goa district and the remaining at Fire Force headquarters at St Inez. “Our personnel are well trained and quickly respond to any calamities. We have all the equipment and control room is always on alert. Our website is updated every day,” director Menon said, adding, “We are a responding agency and as such we are prepared to tackle any emergency.”
Goa Police force
The Goa Police say that they are an assisting unit in the entire process of rescue operations. They say that their ancillary unit, civil defence, is a trained force. They are also a part of the disaster management team and coordinate with all the related agencies to tackle the situation. Different types of training imparted to new recruits while also during the course of service, also includes skills to handle such crisis. As soon as they get emergency call(s) during natural calamities or disasters, we quickly forward the message and coordinate with the related agencies.
Home Guards and Civil Defence Force
The civil defence is a body within the police made up of civilian volunteers dedicated to tackle emergencies arising out of disaster management. Initially set up to take care of situations arising out of the after effects of war, these volunteers today are supposed to come out at the time of natural disasters too.
Superintendent of Police Vishram Borkar, heading the Civil Defence Cell said that they had briefed volunteers numbering around 500 about their possible need in case of emergency. “We are prepared for any emergency,” he said.
However, the civil defence wardens told Herald that this section is seldom given importance. Many have been trained at the National Civil Defence Academy in Pune but are being given step motherly treatment in Goa. Sometimes it looks as if the police are worried that the volunteers will usurp their powers, they say. In Goa, however, we don’t see any one acknowledging our presence, one said.
