Days after the tragic building collapse in South Delhi’s Satya Niketan in which seven people lost their lives, the national Capital is finally set to get its own State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
Till now Delhi has remained dependent on the NDRF, Delhi Fire Services and local police for specialised assistance during major disasters and emergencies.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at the building collapse site on Sunday The Chief Minister stated that the formation of an SDRF for Delhi had been long overdue. Earlier reporting noted: Delhi govt begins process to set up state disaster response force The Delhi government has initiated the process of setting up a State Disaster Emergency Relief Force (SDERF) to strengthen the Capital’s disaster preparedness and response, following directions from Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, officials said on Thursday. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has formally initiated the process of setting up a dedicated SDRF for the Capital to strengthen the city’s preparedness and response during major emergencies. “Most states in the country have already established an SDRF; having one for a densely populated metropolis like Delhi is the need of the hour. The Delhi government will now move forward in this direction to reduce reliance on external aid during disasters and to bolster local capacity for immediate response. The decision to set up SDRF was taken at a high-level meeting at the Delhi Secretariat, chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. Attendees included Delhi Government Chief Secretary Rajiv Verma, NDRF Director General (DG) Piyush Anand, Inspector General (IG) Narendra Bundela, and senior officials from various departments. During the meeting, NDRF officials briefed the Chief Minister on various aspects regarding the formation of the SDRF in Delhi. This battalion would operate under the state government and, upon its orders, would be capable of rapidly reaching disaster sites to carry out effective relief and rescue operations.
Due to various reasons, this vital system could not materialize during the tenures of previous governments. They informed the Chief Minister that an SDRF battalion could be raised in Delhi, comprising up to 1,100 personnel.
Earlier reporting noted: “The initiative is aimed at giving Delhi its own dedicated emergency response mechanism rather than relying primarily on central disaster-response teams,” said a post on X from the Chief Minister’s Office.
Earlier reporting noted: During a meeting with senior NDRF officials at the Delhi Secretariat, government officials sought inputs on the proposed SDERF, which is expected to have trained personnel and specialised capabilities for rapid disaster response.
