Killari quake management can help India face any natural disaster: Pawar

The administrative system to face any natural disaster in the country with confidence stemmed from the effective disaster management during the 1993 Killari earthquake in Maharashtra, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, who helmed the state at that time, said.

He was speaking at a gratitude ceremony organised by an organisation of the earthquake survivors in Killari village of Latur district marking the 30th anniversary of the disaster on Saturday.

A temblor of 6.2-6.3 magnitude struck several villages in Latur and Osmanabad districts in the wee hours of September 30, 1993, killing approximately 10,000 people and injuring 30,000.

"Currently, India can face any kind of disaster confidently as the country has an effective administrative system in place which originated from the Killari earthquake. The country learned the lesson of disaster management from this massive disaster," said Pawar.

He said the UN and the World Bank had taken cognizance of this management.

"We gained experience from the Killari earthquake and now we have the strength to deal with future natural crises....Also the strength of the disaster management law," the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief added.

He said the gratitude should be expressed towards various organisations, officials and individuals for the help extended by them in helping victims and their rehabilitation.

"Whatever work I did it was my responsibility. Thousands of people extended their helping hands. Some individuals and organisations chipped in with charity," he added.

Pawar recalled that (Ganpati) immersion processions were going on the night of September 29, 1993.

"A chief minister should not sleep unless the immersion processions are over. I received a call from the Parbhani superintendent of police at around 3:45 AM informing me that immersion was completed, after which I went to sleep.

"Suddenly at around 3:55 AM, the windows and furniture shook. I felt an earthquake. I immediately alerted officials. Later, it emerged that Killari village (in Latur district) was the epicentre. I rushed to the affected areas accompanied by Vilasrao Deshmukh and Padmsinh Patil within two hours," he said.

Pawar said when he reached the spot, he saw people wailing and bodies lying everywhere.

He recalled that funds were a constraint for rehabilitation but it was then Union finance minister Manmohan Singh who made the funds available from the World Bank within 10 days.

"To ensure that facilities reach the victims properly without any glitches, the then prime minister Narasimha Rao was requested to visit after some days, otherwise officials would have been busy in the PM's tour," he added.

The NCP chief mentioned Shantilal Muttha in his speech for taking care of many children who lost their parents in the disaster.

He also read out the names of some students hailing from the earthquake-hit areas who are working in the highest positions.