First-ever: NDRF to begin maiden forest fires tackling training

New Delhi: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has decided to start a first-ever comprehensive forest fire controlling and combat training for its personnel to mitigate the loss that takes place due to disaster which is both man-made and natural.

The force “will play an active role” in this disaster combat discipline and three of its teams will begin their training from February 6, NDRF Director General (DG) Atul Karwal said at an event held here to mark the 18th Raising Day of the federal contingency force.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday greeted the NDRF and said: “Raising Day greetings to the NDRF. They are making commendable efforts to assist people in the most challenging circumstances. Their bravery is admirable. India is making many efforts to strengthen disaster management apparatus including building disaster resilient infrastructure.”

A parliamentary panel had last year expressed concern over forest fires not being officially part of disasters tackled by the specialised force.

“Forest fires are a growing threat globally now. The incidents of forest fires not only damage the forest resources but also damage biodiversity, cause climate change, adversely impact tribal livelihood and lead to severe distress among flora and fauna of forests,” the panel had said.

In view of the increase of these incidents in the country, it said, forest fires should be “expeditiously” added to the list of disasters tackled by the NDRF.

“Due to the limited capacity of the forest department to fight huge forest fires, it is high time that the same is tackled by a highly trained force on disasters.” “The committee desires to be apprised of any progress in this matter,” the panel said.

Karwal also added that the force was in touch with the Ministry of Environment and Forests with regard to this training on tackling fires in the jungles.

The DG said eight more regional response centres (RRCs) for the NDRF will also be established across the country in the future.

The RRCs are locations that house small NDRF self-contained teams based at marked physical locations in various states that are vulnerable from the disaster point of view. The force, raised this day in 2006, has a total of 16 battalions and 28 RRCs, comprising around 18,000 personnel in total, located at various places across the length and breadth of the country at present.