Disaster management

The inferno at Baghjan which is still burning has laid bare the consequences if pre-disaster management practices are not followed properly. Every organization has to have a proper management system in place and should be accorded top most priority before a project is executed to deal with such cases. Fire can engulf a really large area in a very short span of time causing huge destruction environmentally, ecologically affecting flora, fauna, birds, animals etc. This is a very crucial aspect of any organization like OIL, ONGC etc. The time is ripe to pay heed to local experts as they have much better knowledge related to topography, behaviour and nature than other experts brought from outside. A thing to remember is that locals will always stay at that particular place and their concerns will always be genuine. Commercialization must not be allowed at the cost of lives of thousands of people.

The organizations concerned must shape competent individuals for the purpose so that during crisis, the services can be availed instantly without having to wait for 14 days at the disposal of other competent authorities shelling out large amounts of money from the coffer.

Purabi P Barua,

Guwahati.