NDRF to observe 2024 as year of CBRN preparedness, response

The NDRF has decided to observe 2024 as the year of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) preparedness and response and will undertake training and exercises to attain better capability to deal with such disasters, Director General of the force Atul Karwal said Friday.

He was speaking at the Vigyan Bhawan here during the 19th raising day of the federal contingency force.

The DG said the Union home ministry, under which the force functions, has sanctioned fresh equipments to it for CBRN combat.

The force has procured seven HAZMAT (hazardous material) vehicles during the recently concluded G20 Summit in the national capital for tackling CBRN accidents and disasters.

The force, Karwal said, also has trained three teams for tackling forest fires and new equipment for this task are being procured, a job entrusted to the NDRF in 2023.

He said the ministry of home affairs has also sanctioned eight new regional response centres (RRCs) for stationing its rescuers in various states.

The NDRF was raised this day in 2006 and at present has a strength of more than 18,000 men and women rescuers deployed across the country as part of 16 battalions and 28 RRCs.

It undertakes operations to mitigate and combat man-made and natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, train accidents etc.