NSDMA meet underscores disaster management at grassroots level

EMN Kohima, January 20 [dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA), Home Department in collaboration with the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA Kohima) today held a meeting with leaders from the Southern and Western Angami Villages. The meeting was held to discuss formation of a Village Disaster Management Authority (VDMA) in each village along with a dedicated Village Disaster Management Core Committee (VDMCC). [caption id="attachment_31388" align="alignleft" width="400"] A meeting on Disaster Management being held on Kohima.[/caption] The Secretary (NSDMA), T. Ao IAS, while introducing the concept of the VDMA also stated that the need for disaster management at the grass root level was strongly felt in the backdrop of the recent Dziikou tragedy and also the forest fire at Japfu in 2014. Stressing on the need to make disaster management a ‘People’s movement’, Ao called upon the village leaders to implement the VDMA in letter and spirit. The Deputy Commissioner, Kohima, while speaking during the meeting said that the administration will take an ‘awareness campaign’ for effective formation of the VDMA and VDMCC very soon. Issues discussed during the meeting included identification of able youth from each village to undergo training in disaster management keeping in view the approaching dry season. The meeting also deliberated on fine tuning the VDMA so as to make it practical at the ground level. Concerned Village Chairmen and Youth Presidents from the Southern and Western Villages attended the meeting and also highlighted disaster management related problems faced at the grass root level. The NSDMA will be taking similar meetings to all other areas in collaboration with all the District Disaster Management Authorities very soon.