Special force to tackle natural calamities in U'khand

Uttarakhand government today gave the go-ahead for raising a State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to deal quickly with natural calamities in the hill state.
Clearing a proposal to this effect at a meeting here, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna said the SDRF will be constituted in a phased manner with the first two of a total of six companies to be raised initially by recruiting personnel from the Provincial Armed Constabulary, India Reserve Battalion and the Fire services.
Underlining the importance of such a force in view of the recent natural calamity in Uttarakhand and its vulnerability to disasters, Bahuguna said 30 hectares of land would be made available between Jollygrant and Rishikesh for establishing the SDRF headquarters.

The State Disaster Management Department will provide the funds for raising the force but if further grants are needed for training and equipment the Centre will be approached, the Chief Minister said.