Delhi Seeks to Establish Its Own Disaster Task Force

Delhi's government is actively pursuing the creation of its own State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), seeking guidance from national agencies like the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). An official familiar with the matter confirmed that consultations are underway to finalize the structure, staffing, and operational framework for this new force.

One significant proposal under consideration is the recruitment of retired NDRF personnel. Their extensive experience in managing various emergencies, including earthquakes, floods, building collapses, and fires, could be invaluable in developing a skilled disaster-response cadre for Delhi, allowing the city to build upon existing expertise rather than starting from scratch. The NDRF, which standardizes operating procedures and trains state units nationwide, is a key partner in this initiative.

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one of the key proposals under consideration is the induction of retired NDRF personnel into the new force, as they have experience in handling earthquakes, floods, building collapses, fires, and other emergencies, and can help Delhi develop a trained disaster-response cadre instead of starting from scratch.

This initiative comes in response to growing concerns about Delhi's susceptibility to both natural and man-made disasters. The region is situated in the high-risk Seismic Zone IV and has frequently experienced monsoon floods, fires, and building collapses. The government is also studying the operational models of SDRFs in other states, such as Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh. The objective is to establish a permanent, locally based force capable of swift emergency response, reducing reliance on external deployments.

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the objective is to create a permanent, locally available force capable of responding rapidly to emergencies rather than relying solely on external deployments.