Have been seeing these news reports of a "National Emergency Response Force" that India has created to respond to - as the name suggests - National Emergencies.
Little has been said or published about what the job of this force would be or what its composition is going to be. From the reports, it looks like its going to comprise of specially-trained batallions drawn from CISF, BSF, CRPF and other central paramilitary forces of India. Not to sound too critical, but I am forced to ask - "Was there due thought that had gone into the creation of such a force" ?
Many a times we have seen that the government in India in a knee-jerk reaction, wants to be seen to be doing something. And more often that not, it ends up either doing the wrong thing or doing half-baked and half-thought through actions.
Will this be one such thing too ?
Take for example the "Federal Emergency Management Agency" (FEMA) of the United States.
This is what its website says :
"The Federal Emergency Management Agency - a former independent agency that became part of the new Department of Homeland Security in March 2003 - is tasked with responding to, planning for, recovering from and mitigating against disasters."
And how does FEMA exactly do this :
By "Advising on building codes and flood plain management...teaching people how to get through a disaster...helping equip local and state emergency preparedness...coordinating the federal response to a disaster...making disaster assistance available to states, communities, businesses and individuals...training emergency managers...supporting the nation's fire service...administering the national flood and crime insurance programs...the range of FEMA's activities is broad indeed."
I gather that the NERF that India has created should also set its goals to the above.
But I am afraid it might end up in no man's land. Consider the reports on what the NERF is going to comprise of. All of them are forces that are predominantly deployed to handle violence - man made violence. Not that they cannot help in a natural calamity. But the point is they are not trained for such an eventuality which is totally a different ball game.
Even the Chief of the NERF (appointed recently) does not seem to have disaster management and mitigation experience. His profile says that he is "An 1969 batch Indian Police Service officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, ... handled investigation into Bofors payoff case...was looking after Economic Offences Wing, Anti-Corruption and Special Crimes...carried out successful investigations into the case of Bilkis Yakub's gang rape during Gujarat riots, extradition proceedings against Abu Salem, Haren Pandya murder case and the Unit Trust of India scam."
Not only that he has "...served as the Inspector-General of the BSF in Kashmir at the peak of militancy...also has the experience of fighting Sikh militants in Punjab".
Again with all due respect to the new Chief, I am a bit apprehensive with the beginning that has been made.
I really wish the Indian government would come out with a policy paper on disaster management. The NERF should not be another bureaucratic dump ground. It should be another independent body similar in lines to the Election commission of India. It should have the authority to completely take over the disaster management and recovery of the affected area and should be authorized to overrule any local authority during the period of the relief operation.
India needs a NERF that has sharp teeth, is quick, has enough expertise and sufficient power to carry out its job without hindrance.
Can the government create one ?
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