'KMC will set up a Disaster Management Dept by next yr'

Kolkata: Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will form a Disaster Management department to expedite relief and rescue operations during natural calamities.

"This Disaster Management department will be formed before the next financial year," said Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim while briefing reporters after concluding the KMC Budget session on Saturday evening.

He stated that climate change is happening very fast due to global warming. Because of this, the metropolis may have to deal with natural disaster like Amphan in future also. Because of this, a disaster management team will be prepared for relief and rescue in the metropolis.

A Disaster Management team will be formed in the corporation.

State Disaster Management department officials will give training to the employees of the said department.

Hakim reiterated that to prevent visual pollution three places in Kolkata have been declared as no hoarding zones. These include areas like Alipore, Victoria and BBD Bagh.

Addressing the reporters in the corporation, Hakim said that the streets of Kolkata are littered with hoardings posters. In many places, hoardings are put up illegally without the permission of the corporation. In such a situation, now a hoarding policy is being made by the corporation. This policy is being prepared under the leadership of Debasish Kumar, a Member of the Mayor's Council of the Corporation.

In many places in the city, hoardings have been put up at private residences and private houses as well. In such a situation, hoardings will not be put up without the permission of the corporation. The corporation will do a health checkup of the building before installing it on a private building. Only then will the hoardings be allowed to be put up.

He said that now the emphasis will be on installing LED hoardings. Efforts will be made to use canvas painting instead of banners with plastic and flex.