Month after Yamuna boat tragedy, SDRF platoon deployed in Mathura

Agra: A month after 16 pilgrims from Punjab died in a boat tragedy in the Yamuna near Keshi Ghat in Mathura-Vrindavan, the UP govt has permanently deployed a platoon of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) in Mathura to improve emergency response in the district.Officials said the SDRF platoon will conduct round-the-clock relief and rescue operations during emergencies. SSP Shlok Kumar said the platoon consists of 36 personnel trained to handle floods, drowning incidents, earthquakes and other natural disasters.“Earlier, SDRF teams had to be called in from Lucknow and Ghaziabad during emergencies, resulting in delay in relief operations. Now, with the team being available within the district itself, the response time will be significantly faster,” Kumar said.The deployment is also expected to help during floods in the temple town during the monsoon season whenever the Yamuna breaches the danger mark.Officials said the move will serve as a major safety measure for local residents as well as the millions of pilgrims who visit Mathura every year.