3 permanent disaster relief centres in Chennai, suburbs

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu govt will establish three permanent disaster rescue and relief centres in Chennai and its suburbs at ₹36 crore, revenue and disaster management K K S S R Ramachandran said. The govt plans to train 50 volunteers in every village across the state to provide first-aid, and relief and rescue operations. Initially, 6,000 volunteers from the 121 villages where multipurpose shelters have been established would be trained.
While replying to the demand for grants for the department, the minister said heatwaves would be declared a natural disaster. Measures such as drinking water kiosks and special wing in govt hospitals to treat people affected by sun stroke would be opened. “The permanent shelters in Chennai and suburbs will house rescue boats and vehicles in advance. Essential items like drinking water, milk and bread will be stocked in these centres,” the minister said.
Fire and rescue services department would train 500 volunteers from the resident welfare associations of TN urban habitat development board, housing board and private tenements in Chennai and suburbs for rescue and relief operations at a cost of ₹2 crore.
Early warning systems, which would alert people in times of disasters, would be established in 1,000 places at a cost of ₹13.25 crore. They will be used to warn people at times of floods, landslides, rough sea conditions and others.
Ramachandran said govt would purchase boats, rescue vehicles and modern rescue equipment at ₹105 crore to speed up rescue measures by the fire and rescue services, fisheries, state disaster response force (SDRF), Greater Chennai Police and Greater Chennai Corporation. Forest department personnel and the public would be trained in prevention of forest fires and the department would be given modern equipment and vehicles at a cost of ₹15 crore.
The govt would also train 4,960 fishermen and 225 officials of fisheries department in the coastal districts in rescue and relief operations. Two multipurpose relief centres would also be established in Tuticorin, as torrential rain had affected men and material last year.