Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (MS)

Bengaluru, Aug 19: In a state, which has a population of 6.5 crores, there are only 60 personnel in the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to respond to any emergency caused by natural calamity or unforeseen disaster!

It has been five years since the formation of the SDRF in the state of Karnataka. However, only half the required number of personnel are deployed for the force. In Kodagu, where the routine life is totally shattered due to rain, 948 personnel are involved in relief work. Among these only 30 are from SDRF.

SDRF was formed in 2013 as per the directions of the central government in order to deal with natural calamities or man-made accidents and disasters. However, it is an irony that even after five years this force in Karnataka is not fully functional due to the lack of personnel.

Nearly 110 personnel are deployed to SDRF on outsourcing basis from Karnataka State Industrial Security Force (KSISF), Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) and fire service departments. Not a single position is occupied under direct recruitment to SDRF.

The home ministry of the central government had alerted the state about the onset of incessant rains on August 13 itself. The Emergency Response Force (ERF) had deputed two SDRF teams to Honnavar and Mangaluru and retained one team in Bengaluru itself. The ERF sent the team at Mangaluru to Kodagu due to the heavy rains in Kodagu district. People are of the opinion that the devastation happened in Kodagu would have been controlled had the SDRF paid heed to the alert that was sent by the central home ministry.