NDRF to have 3 bases in Maharashtra, one in Goa

Shahaji Raje Sports Complex where the NDRF office is located

If all goes well, four locations - three in Maharashtra and one in Goa - will soon become permanent Regional Response Centre (RRC) bases for the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Unit-V battalion that covers Maharashtra and Goa. Currently, a state-of-the-art NDRF central training academy is in its final stages of completion in Nagpur.

Highly placed officials within the state government confirmed to mid-day that talks for the three locations are currently in advanced stages, with positive consent coming in from both the central and state governments. The shortlisted proposed locations in Maharashtra include - Bambavi in Panvel district (close to the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport), Tembhode village in Palghar district (close to the Tarapur Atomic Power Station) and Civil Lines in Nagpur. In Goa, the Assonora village in Panjim has been shortlisted.

Santosh Bahadur Singh, commandant, NDRF, Battalion-V, said, "Once the shortlisted locations are finalised, the infrastructure and construction will come up, as per the approval of the higher authorities in NDRF and accordingly we will station our permanent NDRF teams, as per approval from the headquarters. Moreover, mobilising teams to any place will be easier from these locations."

NDRF's temporary base office in Andheri West

According to Singh, around five to six acres of land have been proposed for the facility, which will also include an in-house training centre and residential quarters, along with a playground for the drills. "Our NDRF team is already trained in handling CBRN [chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear] emergencies. These places are at strategic locations and mobilising NDRF teams for handling any natural, accidental or manmade calamities, will be time-saving," the commandant said, adding that the response time will be much faster than in the current scenario.

Deepak Tiwari, deputy commandant, NDRF, said that Mumbai currently has three NDRF teams stationed permanently in Andheri West which serves as the Regional Response Centre (RRC), for which the BMC has rented out the Shahaji Raje Sports Complex. "During the monsoon, additional teams are deployed in places in and around the Mumbai Metropolitan Region including Raigad, Sangli, Kolhapur, Chiplun etc," he said.

Sources within NDRF said each NDRF team is supposed to comprise 47 members (as per the SOP), but often the number is lesser due to vacancies. However, the force is augmented through deputation from paramilitary forces like the BSF, CRPF, ITBP etc, (none from the army, navy or airforce). These personnel return back to their parent force after completing a tenure of seven years in the NDRF. "They are entitled to an additional deputation allowance of 10 per cent on their basic salary," said a source.

NDRF academy

A state-of-the-art NDRF central training academy is coming up at Suradevi village, Kamptee tehsil, Nagpur. The training academy, spread across 153.28 acres, will impart training to 5,000 personnel annually, from the NDRF, SDRF and civil defence, along with officers and other stakeholders. At present, the NDRF is conducting a similar training program at the National Civil Defense College (NCDC), Nagpur. However, it is only able to train 2,000 personnel annually. The NCDC was merged with NDRF in 2018, as per Home Ministry directives, said NDRF sources.

Apart from the training set-ups, the new centre will also have advanced simulators to give a real-life feel of real situations such as earthquakes, flooding and fires. The personnel will be trained in advanced collapse, structure, search and rescue (CSSR). "Also, since every NDRF team member is expected to be a good swimmer (to handle disasters during flood situations), a state-of-the-art swimming pool will also come up at the centre," an NDRF officer said, adding that basic and advanced training on urban search and rescue (USAR) will also be provided.

Raigad disaster

A proposal to have a team of NDRF stationed permanently in Raigad district was mooted by Aditi Tatkare - former guardian minister of Raigad district - after the building collapse in Mahad claimed 16 lives and injured nine. In a short span of two months, Raigad had witnessed two instances - Cyclone Nisarga and the building collapse. A permanent force would help save maximum lives in the event of a natural calamity or accident which requires spontaneous relief and rescue work.

Minister speaks

Aditi Tatkare, cabinet minister, women and child development, (and former guardian minister, Raigad), said, "A year ago, after MP Sunil Tatkare met Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the need for a permanent NDRF team in Raigad, he directed that an NDRF team be sent to Raigad for three months from June to August until a permanent base camp is provided. Since the last fortnight, we have got around 20-25 members from the NDRF who are deployed at the government rest house in Mahad." When contacted, District Collector Dr Yogesh Mhase said he is unaware of these developments and hasn't received any communication so far. "The talks may be at the government level between the state and the centre," he said.

NDRF public message

NDRF Director General Atul Karwal, in a public message, said, "In a very short span of time, NDRF has rescued over 1.48 lakh precious human lives and also evacuated over 7 lakh stranded people from disaster situations within the country and abroad. The swift and effective response of NDRF during the Japan Triple Disaster in 2011 and Nepal Earthquake (2015) was acclaimed globally."

47
No of personnel in each NDRF team as per SOP