MHA signs MoU with ISRO to modernise Emergency Response

In a big push to modernise India's emergency response infrastructure, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Department of Space are collaborating together to set up an advance Integrated Control Room for Emergency Response (ICR-ER).

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding the same was signed between ISRO and MHA on Wednesday which will enable setting up of a state-of-the-art Integrated Control Room for Emergency Response (ICR-ER) in Ministry of Home Affairs.

The MoU was signed by Joint Secretary (Disaster Management) Sanjeev Kumar Jindal on behalf of MHA and Dr P.V.N Rao, Deputy Director, NRSC, ISRO.

As per the memorandum, the ISRO will render its technical expertise for setting up of proposed ICR-ER whereas the project will be executed under the overall supervision of MHA. It is expected that proposed control room will be established in a time frame of one and half year.

The ICR-ER will cater to the requirement of Disaster Management as well as Internal Security. ICR-ER will address the requirement of receipt of information on near real-time basis, strategic level monitoring, situation awareness, command and control, preparedness and response in the diverse internal security situation and disaster-related emergencies.

As a result, it will increase the operational effectiveness and will be helpful in rendering timely response and quick assistance during various emergency situations.

On September 16, ISRO successfully launched PSLV C-42 into orbit carrying two international satellites-- Nova SAR and S1-4 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. Both of these satellites will also be used for disaster monitoring apart from other functionalities.