BSDMA plans scheme to reduce drowning incidents

Patna: The Bihar State Disaster Management Authority (BSDMA) will launch ‘Ganga Prahari Aapda Mitra Scheme’ to curb drowning incidents in the state. This was announced at a Monday meeting here, presided over by BSDMA vice-chairman Uday Kant, with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).NDMA secretary Manish Bhardwaj announced that the ‘Ganga Prahari Aapda Mitra Scheme’ would be launched in Bihar with the specific objective of reducing drowning incidents across the state. Under this scheme, residents living in the riparian zones of the Ganga and other rivers will be sensitised regarding drowning prevention, and local youth will receive specialised training in swimming, diving, and life-saving techniques. The objective is to ensure the availability of trained human resources at the local-level, capable of providing a rapid response during emergencies to save lives.During the meeting, necessary directives were issued regarding the review of the SDRF’s organisational structure and deployment, the capacity building and training of boatmen volunteers to ensure an effective response during floods and the status of the notification and effective implementation of the Incident Response System (IRS) across the state. It was also decided to stress on the widespread utilisation of the ‘Sacchet App’ for the dissemination of pre-disaster warnings and the effective utilisation and maintenance of the India Disaster Resource Network (IDRN).Uday directed the officials concerned to ensure coordinated efforts to make the disaster management mechanism in the state even more capable, prompt, and effective.A key point of the discussions during the meeting was the potential for the disaster management model currently being developed in Bihar to serve as a valuable example — not only for the state itself but for the entire country. “The state’s objective is to foster a society that does not merely react when a disaster strikes, but remains prepared in advance and collectively ensures its safety,” Uday said.BSDMA secretary Md Waris Khan, Vaishali DM Varsha Singh, Patna Municipal Corporation commissioner Yashpal Meena, NDMA advisors Lt Col Sanjeev Kumar Shahi and Col Kriti Pratap Singh, SDRF commandant Rajesh Kumar and other senior officials were present in the meeting.