June 13: The wireless facility announced for corporation workers in 2005 to tackle disasters like earthquake and tsunami is yet to reach them. Corporation sources said no proper equipment, uniforms and gloves for disaster management, had been given to the civic staff till date.

The sources said the worst part was that a majority of the constructions in the city were not earthquake resistant and since the city was located in a moderate seismic zone, there was an immediate need for creating awareness among residents about reducing vulnerability during natural calamities.

In fact, in 2005, the then special officer for disaster management, R. Santhanam, in his report on ‘Urban Earthquake Vulnerability Reduction Project’ prepared by compiling information provided by the corporation and CMDA said that several buildings in Chennai were vulnerable to earthquake and the city needed a disaster management squad. The report said Coimbatore was also in a moderate seismic zone.

When asked about the delay in distributing gear for disaster management, mayor M Subramanian said the issue had to be studied for necessary action. He said wireless communication was available in the zonal offices for rescue work during emergency.

According to corporation commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni, the union government provides the tsunami alert and earthquake information. And for Chennai, Hyderabad-based INCOIS provides alerts. He said on Saturday night there were no such alerts.

Mr Lakhoni said the corporation did have a module of continuous action plan to rescue people in case of a disaster. He said the civic body had recently organised disaster management awareness programmes for the public.