Rs 40-cr disaster response plan

MUMBAI, August 25: The Sena-BJP government today approved a Rs 40-crore World Bank-aided Disaster Management Plan (DMP) for the state and set up a 18-member permanent coordination committee headed by the chief secretary to monitor relief and rescue operations in the metropolis in the event of a natural calamity.

Briefing media persons after the weekly cabinet meeting, which discussed at length the havoc caused by the torrential rains on Friday and Saturday, Chief Minister Manohar Joshi said the committee would comprise the municipal commissioner, police commissioner, general managers of both Central and Western railways, divisional commissioner (Mumbai), Mumbai Port Trust chairman, Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority vice-chairman, collectors of Mumbai city and suburban district, chief fire officer, Mahanagar Telephone Nigam’s chief general manager, director general of information and public relations and the PWD secretary. “The committee will also prepare a comprehensive disaster management plan for the metropolis within two weeks.” Joshi pointed out. Referring to the disaster management plan for the state, Joshi said his government had sought assistance from the World Bank, while British Government’s Overseas Aid Agency and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have also offered assistance. The plan envisages strengthening of communication network from district upwards to Mantralaya, disaster management information system for all the districts, equipment and facilities for emergency centres, disaster relief material for district administration, setting up of district control rooms, vulnerability assessment for communities and state-level training programmes.

Joshi said during his two-day visit to Delhi from tomorrow he would meet Prime Minister I K Gujral and Railways Minister Ram Vilas Paswan to discuss a freeway project for Mumbai and a solution to the recurring problem of flooding of railway tracks.