Indian Express 16.12.2009
Govt explores corporate participation in disaster management, mitigation
The government is seriously contemplating to rope in industrial houses for setting up “emergency response centres” in industrially developed parts of the state. Initially, three such centres are proposed to be set up at Vapi, Kalol and Jamnagar each.
This issue was discussed at a workshop on “The role of corporate sector in disaster management” organised jointly by the Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA), the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the IIM-A, in Gandhinagar.
V Thiruppugazh, Additional CEO , GSDMA, said on Monday that looking at the rapid pace with which industrial development is taking place in Gujarat, it is high time that the corporate sector is involved in disaster management and mitigation.
The government is exploring the possibility of involving the corporate sector in setting up emergency response centres having trained manpower and equipment, he added.
R Bannerji, CEO, GSDMA stressed on the need to evolve a separate policy to encourage private sector participation in disaster management. He also suggested at the workshop to develop a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model. He informed the participants that GSDMA is in the process of setting up five emergency response centres in different strategic places across the state.
NDMA Joint Advisor DR Dharma Rao said the main objective of the workshop was to tap the private sector resources and involve them in the government’s efforts in chalking out a long-term disaster management and mitigation. The workshop was also attended by Prof Ajay Pandey of the IIM-A and senior representatives of the corporate sector.
