Army officer for joint task force commander for relief ops

A joint task force commander should be appointed for better synergy among agencies involved in relief operations during disasters such as the recent one in Uttarakhand, a senior Army officer said today.
In future if there is an Uttarakhand-like disaster, a Joint Task Force Commander should be appointed for better synergy among the agencies involved there such as the IAF, Army, paramilitary and state organisations, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff Lt Gen Anil Chait said.
This would ensure better utilisation of assets and other resources being involved there, he said.
The officer was extensively involved in the rescue operations as his appointment as the Central Army Commander and personally walked with the stranded tourists from near the Kedarnath area while evacuating them from there.

The armed forces were major contributors of manpower and helicopters during the rescue operations under the directions of Defence Minister A K Antony and rescued over 30 people from the higher reaches of the hill state.
In the biggest rescue operations launched by the armed forces in the country, over 50 choppers of the Army and IAF were deployed along with the fixed wing aircraft.