MP Haneefa urges enhanced Manpower, Training & Rehab
Yash Khajuria
New Delhi/Leh, Sept 09: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is actively considering the creation of dedicated State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) battalions in Ladakh, modeled on the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), as the ecologically fragile Union Territory faces growing threats from climate change.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, at a Consultative Committee meeting on Disaster Management and Capacity Building in New Delhi on August 19, assured that the MHA is seriously evaluating the augmentation of Ladakh’s SDRF through increased manpower and specialized training.
The Home Minister’s remarks followed a proposal submitted by Member of Parliament from Ladakh, Mohmad Haneefa Jan, who is also a member of the Consultative Committee on Disaster Management and Capacity Building. In his detailed submission, the Ladakh MP urged the Union Government to urgently address the growing ecological and humanitarian challenges confronting the Himalayan region.
Highlighting Ladakh’s extreme vulnerability to climate change, Haneefa underlined that melting glaciers, frequent flash floods, and expanding drought-hit areas pose severe risks to fragile ecosystems and local communities. He argued that Ladakh, being on the frontline of the climate crisis, requires focused interventions to safeguard lives, livelihoods, and its delicate environment.
Haneefa called for the establishment of a dedicated NDRF battalion in Ladakh, pointing out that current arrangements are insufficient to tackle the scale of emerging hazards. He further emphasized the need for augmentation of the SDRF through increased manpower and systematic training of community volunteers to ensure quicker response during emergencies. The Ladakh MP also urged for dedicated rehabilitation projects for families affected by recurrent floods, stressing that without structured governmental support, local communities will continue to face immense hardships.
The meeting, chaired by the Union Home Minister, included a comprehensive review of India’s disaster management framework. Amit Shah highlighted the shift over the past decade from a relief-centric to a preparedness and early-warning-centric approach. He stated that the government’s disaster response policy rests on four pillars—capacity building, speed, efficiency, and accuracy—which have contributed to a drastic reduction in casualties from natural calamities. Citing historical examples, he noted that while nearly 10,000 lives were lost during the 1999 Odisha super cyclone, recent events such as Cyclone Biparjoy in Gujarat and Cyclone Dana in Odisha recorded zero casualties, underscoring the success of proactive measures.
The Home Minister further acknowledged India’s ongoing vulnerability due to its large population and diverse hazards but emphasized that institutional and financial measures have significantly mitigated risks. He directed the Home Secretary to circulate details of funds released to states, the 38 NDMA guidelines, and disaster early-warning apps to all Members of Parliament. He also welcomed the proposal to integrate the ‘SACHET’ early-warning app into smartphones and assured that the matter would be coordinated with the Ministry of Telecommunications.
The Union Home Secretary highlighted major developments, including the success of ‘Operation Brahma’ during the Myanmar earthquake relief operations by NDRF teams and the recent amendment to the Disaster Management Act, 2005. The Additional Secretary (Disaster Management) briefed the committee on the evolution of India’s disaster preparedness, referencing the National Disaster Management Policy of 2009 and the revised National Disaster Management Plan of 2019, which aligns with global frameworks including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
Haneefa’s proposal to the MHA has firmly placed Ladakh’s climate challenges within the national disaster policy discourse, highlighting the urgent need for government support to protect both human lives and the region’s fragile ecosystem.
