IISWBM eyes course on tackling disasters

Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management (IISWBM), the business school affiliated to Kolkata University, may come up with a specialised course on disaster management, K M Agrawal, head of the environment management department, said here today.

IISWBM would explore the opportunity of launching a specialised course on disaster management, which is now being taught only as one module in the environment management course.

"There are no concrete plans just now but it definitely remains a potential development if there is thrust from the government," said Agrawal on the sidelines of the media workshop on 'Strengthening flood early warning for the vulnerable community in West Bengal, organised in association with Oxfam and non-government organisations SPADE and SSUP.

Representatives of the Indian Meteorological Department and state departments of irrigation and waterways and relief attended the meeting.

Speaking on the role of media, Ashoke K Dutta, director of IISWBM, said the institute would assist the media with technical knowledge.

"IISWBM is planning to organise a series of workshops to help the media upgrade knowledge in various fields. The institution will help journalists in upgrading technical knowledge," Dutta promised.

Lack of cooperation among different government departments regarding information sharing and lack of clarity of information provided to the media in disaster prone areas were discussed at the workshop.