HDMC prepares disaster management plan

HDMC prepares disaster management plan
Thursday November 3 2005 09:36 IST

HUBLI: Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation seems to have learnt a lesson from devastation caused by the heavy rains in Mumbai and Bangalore as it has come out with a comprehensive disaster management plan for Hubli-Dharwad.

The Corporation has devised a disaster management plan, first of its kind in the State to deal with the flood like situation in twin cities of in future.

Twin cities are located at a distance of around 420 km north of Bangalore and 550 km south of Mumbai. Dharwad is east of the famous Western Ghats and is surrouned by hills and lakes.

If rains lash the twin cities continusouly for one or two days most parts of city would be inundated.

With a view to keep the city safe and to protect the people from any natural calamities HDMC, under the able leadership of its Commissioner P Manivannan, has come out with a plan.

As per the plan, emergency situation has been classified into three categories –– emergency 1, 2, and 3. Flooding of the city and earthquake will come under emergency level 3.

The emergency levels would be delcared by the Commisisoner, in his absence the Joint Commisisoner and in his absence, Head of the Planning Cell, in his absence the Revenue Officer and in his absence, the Health Officer and in his absence the executive engineers.

The Head of the operations of the emergency is the Commisioner who is the City Emergency Officer (CEO).

The Joint Commsisoner and the Superintending Engineer are the Deputy City Emergency Officers (Dy CEOs) and all the other five offerencers (Revenue officers, Health and executive engineers are empowered to declare emergency, who will be called as Assistant Emergency Officers (AEOs).

Once emergency is declared, it will be informed to the control room and the control room will flash this by announcing in the wireless.

In case of emergency, the staff involved in the disaster management plan shall assemble at three sets of locations in the order of priority.

Staff to assemble at Kalabhavan ground, inspection bungalow - PWD, JSS college ground, S P Office and premises of M G Bank in Dharwad.

HDMC office premises, Keshwapur reservior, Unkal lake garden, Nehru nagar reservior and Ambedkar Bhavan, Navanagar in Hubli North and Lamington high school ground, HDMC cattle shed, P B road, Old Hubli reservior, Nehru college ground in Hubli South.

After assembling in the above said points, team members of the plan as per the instruction of their heads will swing into action to rescue the lives and property of the people immediately.

Since there is shortage of some equipment including ambulances, first aid kits, search lights, fire brigade etc to deal with situation, HDMC has requested the State government to provide other necessary equipments to deal with any disasters immediately in twin cities.

According to the plan, the emergency period is declared as normal after the joint supervision by the Deputy Commissioner, the Comissioner of Police and the Commissioner of HDMC.