Despite witnessing several natural disasters, J&K still lack preparedness: CAG

Srinagar: Despite witnessing several natural disasters, including devastating floods of 2014, Jammu and Kashmir still lack preparedness as State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) though established in 2007 was not fully constituted as its full time members were yet to be appointed, Comptroller and Auditor General of India has said. Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed several natural disasters in the recent past such as drought of kharif in 2009, cloudburst of Leh in 2010 and devastating floods in several parts of the state in 2014. The Disaster Management Act 2005 provides for a disaster management framework that envisages a continuous and integrated process of planning, organising, coordinating and implementing measures for prevention of disaster. However, the SDMA established more than a decade ago has not been fully constituted and as against the stipulation of holding at least one meeting in a year, it had met only once in 2012 in the last six years, CAG in its report for the year ending March 2016 said. The report said State Disaster Management Policy, approved in February 2012 had also not been fully implemented and no DMA had been constituted at the divisional level—Jammu and Kashmir. The CAG further said while DMA had been constituted at district level, they were not functional. District Disaster Management Plan had not been formulated except in Leh district in Ladah region. However, even Leh district plan approved in May 2011 had neither been implemented nor reviewed. The report further said State Disaster Response Force was not only short of its sanctioned strength by 28 per cent , but 69 per cent of its available manpower was deployed for duties not connected to disaster relief or response. Further the bulk of the SDRF had not undergone the mandatory orientation specialised training courses necessary for them to effectively carry out their functions in the event of a disaster.