Rs 10.43 crore sanctioned for Civil Defence in Meghalaya

The state government has sanctioned Rs 10.43 crores for setting up the 'designated' Civil Defence establishments in seven districts of Meghalaya to provide rescue and relief in areas identified as prone to disaster and natural calamities.
"We have received funds of Rs 10.43 crores for developing the required infrastructures for the setting up of the designated civil defence establishments in the seven districts within the next three years," Director General of Civil Defence & Home Guards Kulbir Krishan said at the sideline of an official function held here today.
The Civil Defence Act was amended in 2011, with the aim to make disaster management as one of the important task of the Civil Defence.

Earlier, Shillong in East Khasi Hills, Tura, West Garo Hills and Jowai, now West Jaintia Hills were among the 250 odd towns in India which were designated as Civil Defence towns.
"Civil defence was only in these three towns while the rest of the state didn't have any such set up at all," Krishan said.
With the recent creation of new districts, the state now has 11 districts under its jurisdiction, the Director General said, "But when the proposal was sent at that time, there were only seven districts in the state."
According to him, these seven districts has been designated as most 'disaster prone' because they are prone to disaster primarily earthquake, floods and landslides.

He said since there are already three designated towns, they will be covering the other districts as well.