Rajnath announces medal for disaster response forces

Home Minister Rajnath Singh Tuesday announced a "disaster response medal" for the forces involved in disaster management in India.

Witnessing a demonstration by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) at the India International Trade Fair (IITF) at Pragati Maidan here, the home minister mentioned both the forces as the nodal disaster management agencies of the government.

The NDRF, the country's specialist disaster response unit, showcased a demonstration along with the NDMA on quick response in a hypothetical earthquake situation at the trade fair.

NDRF rescuers displayed their capabilities by demonstrating a mock earthquake rescue operation drill in front of a cross section of society, especially students from various schools in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) to create awareness about what to do in case of an earthquake.

The NDRF, which came into existence Jan 19, 2006, has so far saved 4,21,885 lives by its prompt response in various rescue operations, a government statement said.

It said the NDRF has saved lives during the floods in Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Odisha, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir, and during building collapses in Pune and Chennai.

The home minister applauded the NDRF for its commendable role in making India a "disaster resilient" nation.