Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Disaster management meet to focus on India

HYDERABAD: The first World Congress on Disaster Manager (WCDM) to be held here between October 21 and 24 will focus on India as one of the most disaster-prone nations and try to chalk out emergency management strategies.

At a press conference here on Sunday, Chief Controller (R&D) at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Prahlada said a four-pronged approach would be adopted by about 300 experts from 50 nations.

The approach comprises mitigation, preparation/preparedness, and action by deploying rapid reaction forces and resettlement, restoration and bringing the situation back to normalcy. With an over 8,000 km-long coastline that spawned development, India simultaneously was forced to tackle earthquakes, cyclone, tsunami and the like, he regretted.

Given the typical Indian situation, including a high degree of vulnerability, high population density, low levels of literacy and consequent lack of understanding, a lot of effort was required to handle emergencies, Dr. Prahlada, who is steering committee chairman of WCDM-2008, said.

At the inaugural of the four-day meet, among those present would be former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. The keynote address would be delivered by Vice-Chairman, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Gen. N.C. Vij (retd.).

Others who addressed the press conference included JNTU Vice-Chancellor D.N. Reddy who is also chairman, technical committee; former judges P. Ramakrishnam Raju (chairman, organising committee) and V. Bhaskara Rao (chairman, reception committee).

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