SHILLONG, APR 27: Asserting that Meghalaya is “fully prepared to handle any kind of disaster related eventualities,” Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Lahkmen Rymbui on Saturday said all district administrations have been directed to stay on full alert.
“The government of Meghalaya and disaster management team are well equipped to handle all situations and more importantly, as we know now with the help of technology we can predict beforehand,” Rymbui said.
While he did not have the latest state-wide situation report, the minister confirmed that response mechanisms are active.
“The team, whether from the SDO or DC office across the state of Meghalaya have been alerted to attend to any situation that arises. Let us hope that the situation — it is not guaranteed — but all disaster management teams are on standby,” he said.
Rymbui underlined that disaster response in the state is decentralised.
“The district magistrate is fully empowered as chairman of disaster management to look into issues related to the district. So it is not for us at the state level to see those things,” he said.
“The disaster management rules have also empowered the district magistrates to do everything what is needful.”
On resources, he said, “We are well equipped, whether it is the manpower, because disaster management is not only from the government. We are very happy that people are fully cooperating and we have teams from home guards, from the police, and from the fire service and all these teams are on alert.”
“Most importantly, I am happy that the people of Meghalaya are very cooperative with the agencies in tackling any eventualities,” he added.
The minister said disaster management covers a wide range of threats. “When we talk about disaster, it is not only because of rain. When we manage disaster, we have to see whether this wall or hill is stable or not, whether through deforestation it affects the management of the disaster works — it is a combination of everything,” he said.
“When we talk about disaster it is not only about rain, it is not only about earthquake or anything as there are also man-made disasters or accidents which can happen,” Rymbui noted.
Addressing funding concerns, he said deputy commissioners have authority to respond immediately.
“As I have told you, I don’t have the records but the deputy commissioner is fully equipped to tackle… if there is fund shortfall, they can always write to the state so that necessary action will be done,” he said.
“To manage disaster is not a centralized one but we have decentralized everything to see that they can attend immediately to affected people,” Rymbui added.
By Our Reporter
