Former National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) vice-chairman Marri Shashidhar Reddy deplored that despite the Kashmir floods, it was surprising that the new government had not constituted a new body for the NDMA.Addressing a press conference, the former MLA said that NDMA has been left vacant and dormant for over three months, when he along with seven other members had resigned from their posts. “I cannot fathom why new members and a vice-chairman have not been constituted. Were the Kashmir floods not grave enough to shock the government into action?” he said.Reddy requested the new government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to neglect the NDMA or push it into the background as this would adversely affect disaster preparedness efforts. “I have written a letter to the PM and personally requested Home Minister Rajnath Singh to reconstitute the body, but in vain,” he said. Reddy said that NDMA was responsible for limiting the damage of Cyclone Phailin in 2013, which was estimated to kill thousands, but only took 23 lives. “Such is the importance of the sustained preparedness efforts and if this is stopped, the momentum gained over the past nine years would be wasted,” he felt.
Stating that disaster management was a key aspect in development, he said that the country must take part in the World Disaster Conference that would be held in Japan in 2015 to remain up to date on methods of disaster management. Referring to the recent pact signed between Japan and India, he added that in Japan disaster preparedness was of a high priority, with even the PM participating in activities like mock drills.The former MLA claimed that bureaucrats and staff of the Union Home Ministry were dismissive in their attitude towards the NDMA and were constantly trying to dilute the powers of the body.
