Hyderabad: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) observes January 19 as its founding day. Since the rescue force was formally established in 2006, this day has been observed as National Disaster Response Force Raising Day.
Providing specialised response during catastrophes is the main responsibility of the NDRF. Rescue activities during natural catastrophes such as drowning, building collapses, landslides, severe floods, earthquakes, and cyclones are carried out by the NDRF.
In accordance with the Disaster Management Act of 2005, the National Disaster Reaction Force was established in 2006 to provide a special reaction to a potentially dangerous disaster scenario. The 2005 act was introduced in response to the consecutive catastrophic disasters that occurred between 1990 and 2004.
Raising of NDRF- 2006 saw the designation of 8 Battalions (two Bns each of BSF, CRPF, CISF, and ITBP) as DM Bns for disaster response, operating under the overall command and control of their assigned organisations.
2009-These 08 battalions were placed under NDRF command following NDRF's establishment.
2010–2 Bns were inducted, one from the BSF and one from the CRPF.
SSB inducted 0.2 billion in 2015.
2018 saw the approval and operationalization of four new battalions in the NDRF.
Features of NDRF- Perhaps all of the Force is committed exclusively to catastrophe response worldwide.
- Intensive training in catastrophe comprehension, prevention, and response.
- extremely sophisticated contemporary instruments and technology.
- Trained to be an amiable group.
- The carefully grown and trained dogs of NDRF are well-mannered.
- The Force is skilled and knowledgeable in averting and handling many kinds of calamities and circumstances that resemble them.
- Engage in familiarisation procedures to ensure you fully comprehend the environment and the local populace.
- Implementing regular programs for community empowerment and civic action.
Significance- The purpose of NDRF Raising Day is to honour the NDRF staff members' unselfish contribution. It is a day to express gratitude to the armed forces for their unparalleled role in safeguarding the nation during times of disaster relief. In addition, the day is observed to increase public knowledge of the NDRF personnel services. The nation's residents are informed about the innumerable lives that the disaster management personnel have rescued when no other resources could reach them.
Major achievements of NDRF- The largest force in the world devoted to disaster response is called the "National Disaster Response Force." NDRF has always taken the initiative, demonstrated a high degree of devotion, and lived up to its motto”.
"AAPDA SEVA SADAIV" denotes Consistent Disaster Response Assistance in any situation. The NDRF Rescuers' genuineness, professionalism, and dedication during disasters have made the organisation so well-known among the public that they have been dubbed "Angels in Disaster" by their fellow residents.
The National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) has quickly saved over 1.55 lakh lives and evacuated over 7.88 lakh people who were stuck in disaster areas both domestically and overseas. The world over recognized the NDRF for its prompt and efficient reaction to the triple disaster in Japan (2011), the 2015 Nepal earthquake, and the 2023 Turkey earthquake. With a strict training program and attentive use of skills on the ground, the force is carrying out these duties.
The Future of Disaster Response- With 27 of its 28 states and 8 union territories vulnerable to frequent natural disasters like cyclones, earthquakes, landslides, floods, and droughts, India is one of the world's most disaster-prone nations. The frequency and intensity of catastrophes have increased due to climate change and environmental deterioration, which has also made people and other important assets more vulnerable. Additionally, civil unrest affects nearly one-third of the nation. Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), a more contemporary notion of readiness and mitigation, is now the centre of attention in disaster management (DM).
Both the recent Cyclone "Biparjoy" that struck the Gujarat coastline and the fatal Coromandel Express tragedy at Balasore were expertly managed by numerous responsible entities. With the prime minister serving as its chairman, the NDMA rose to prominence as the supreme authority on training, budgeting, policy creation, and other aspects of transforming this industry.
The NDMA promotes the development of diverse technologies and provides guidelines for the management of various hazards. Additionally, it creates nationwide initiatives like the National School Safety Programme for areas vulnerable to earthquakes. It directs state authorities in creating the state plan and approves plans created by the ministries or departments of the Indian government. The improvement of the district-level system, professionalisation of disaster management through a cadre of professionals, knowledge capture and management, and a more disaggregated early warning system are only a few of the numerous obstacles facing DM authorities in the future.
India Disaster Resource Network (IDRN)- IDRN is an electronic national resource inventory that includes personnel and equipment gathered from national level line departments and agencies as well as districts, states, and federal level line departments.
An online platform called IDRN is used to manage the inventory of tools, knowledgeable personnel, and essential supplies needed for emergency response. The IDRN portal's main goal is to make it possible for decision-makers to obtain information on the availability of the tools and personnel needed to handle any emergency. They will also be able to evaluate the degree of readiness for particular calamities thanks to this database. Early warning and distribution have drawn a lot of attention as part of technology induction.
As a result of the efforts of organisations like the Indian Meteorological Division (IMD), Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment (DGRE), National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), and others, several digital apps, including "Damini" for potential lightning strike areas, "Gagan" for fishermen at high seas, and "Sachet" under the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), have been developed. Through the single emergency number 112, the state-level distress response system is now connected to the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS), which handles individual emergencies.
Honour & Awards for NDRF rescuers- Police Medal for Gallantry, Jeevan Raksha Padak, President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service, Police Medal for Meritorious Service, Prime Minister’s Police Medal for Life Saving, ATI UTKRISHT SEVA PADAK, UTKRISHT SEVA PADAK, Appreciation letter from Ambassador of Japan, Union Home Minister's Special Operational Medal
Over 8,500 operations have been responded to by the NDRF so far, saving or evacuating nearly nine lakh lives. In addition, the Force has educated over 89 lakh residents about disaster preparedness and response. Recognizing the NDRF personnel services is the reason behind the significance of NDRF Raising Day. The day honors their role in prioritizing public protection when no other resource is effective enough to save them.
