CM for agency to respond to terrorist attacks

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, NOV. 17. The Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, underscored the need for setting up an agency to deal effectively with man-made disasters of the kind witnessed in the U.S. on September 11.

Until now, the State has been given to handling natural calamities like cyclone, floods, droughts and the like. But in the changed circumstances, a Disaster Management Authority (DMA) was a must, he said.

Mr. Chandrababu Naidu was addressing the Chief Ministers' conference on Internal Security in New Delhi on Saturday, convened by the Prime Minister, Mr. A. B. Vajpayee, to seek the support of the States for POTO and discuss security- related issues.

He dwelt upon a number of issues -- POTO, proposed federal body to investigate security-related cases in the States, modernisation of police force, left wing extremism, development of backward and remote areas and national identity card for the citizens.

The proposed DMA would make hazard and vulnerability analyses of both natural and man-made disasters and prepare manuals and standing orders on vital installations. It would also fix responsibility not only on officials but specify the role of NGOs and private agencies with special accent on community-based preparedness. He had reviewed the preparedness of the State to handle man-made disasters in the light of the attack on the WTC towers and the Pentagon. The Authority would function under a Disaster Management Council headed by the Chief Minister, which would take decisions in times of crises like hijack, kidnap, etc.

He endorsed the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance on the ground that ``extraordinary situations require extraordinary solutions,'' but sounded a word of caution that adequate safeguards should be built into the Ordinance to prevent abuse of the extraordinary powers vested in the law-enforcing agencies and to strike a balance between human dignity, fundamental rights and security concerns of the nation. Sections 3(8) and 14 of POTO should be amended to protect the freedom of the press. The life of the sunset legislation should be reduced to 3 years.

Mr. Naidu was disappointed that the PWG did not figure in the list of 23 outfits declared as terrorist organisations. The PWG should not only be included in the list, but banned under the Prevention of Unlawful Activities Act of 1986. He urged other States affected by the PWG activities to impose ban on it.

Calling for a unified and coordinated action among the States affected by left wing extremism, the Chief Minister said no fewer than 40 policemen were killed and 766 incidents occurred in the State this year involving the PWG. There was disturbing information that the PWG was trying to forge alliances with other terrorist groups like NSCN, ULFA, etc, and planned to create a compact revolutionary zone in the forest areas of adjoining States. The State Government was tackling the challenge.

Mr. Naidu disfavoured the concept of a federal agency to investigate security-related cases on the ground that the State agencies were better equipped and suited to counter any challenge to internal security. He welcomed the PM's initiative to step up allocation of funds under police modernisation and urged him to reduce the liability of the States to only 25 per cent.

He suggested the Centre replicate on a national scale his Government's initiative in preparing personal and socio-economic data of every individual resident of the State and to allot to each a unique identification number. The database was stored in the PARAM super computer.

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Section  : Southern States
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