IRS to augment disaster response on
ICS pattern in US
CS takes stock of preparedness for
its introduction
JAMMU, APRIL 02:
Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a meeting of the concerned officers
to take their inputs for implementation of the Incident Response System (IRS)
for efficient disaster response in the UT.
Besides Principal
Secretary, DMRR&R, the meeting was attended by Financial Commissioner (Revenue);
Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir and
Jammu besides other concerned officers.
The Chief Secretary
enquired from each of the participants about the effective method of its
implementation. He asked about the roles and responsibilities of different government
departments and law enforcement agencies as well.
Dulloo observed
that this system has an added significance for our part of the globe is prone
to certain disasters. He further noted that since the UT has diverse topography
and climatic conditions across its divisions it is imperative to strategize and
plan keeping these challenges in mind.
He called upon all
to give it a considerate thought so that a best possible response mechanism is
put in place with a right mix of professionals to deal with the circumstances.
He stressed on adoption of ‘whole of the government approach’ in creating such plans
as most of the disasters are incidental in nature.
Financial
Commissioner (Revenue), Shaleen Kabra, while giving his insights about the
adoption of IRS in the UT, remarked that there should be a disaster and
location specific plans for smoothly steering the response mechanisms at the
times of eventualities.
He made out that
different States/UTs shall be having their own response systems based upon
their susceptibility to disasters. He also suggested certain roles and
responsibilities for different government officers based upon the nature and
location of the disasters.
Principal
Secretary, DMRR&R, Chandraker Bharti, while giving introduction of Incident
Response System (IRS), said that it is a structured approach designed to
streamline disaster response by integrating facilities, equipment, personnel
and communication systems under a unified command.
He further
elaborated that development of this system aims at ensuring swift, coordinated
and effective disaster management by pre-designating the officials and training
them for their roles in handling emergency situations.
The meeting besides
deliberating on the need for IRS also stressed on identification of critical
gaps in disaster management, including lack of coordination, communication
failures and unclear role definitions among agencies.
About the evolution
of IRS in India, it was divulged that after getting inspired by global best
practices, the Government of India found the Incident Command System (ICS) from
the United States which was best in dealing with disasters aftermaths
effectively.
Providing the
details about IRS, it was revealed that this system would ensure synergy among
the districts, states and national response teams, reducing chaos and improving
coordination. This will be done by integrating all government departments,
including Police, Agriculture, Health, Revenue, Transport and Social Welfare,
ensuring a ‘Whole-of-Government’ response at the times of disasters.
The meeting was
apprised that the system objectifies to be adaptable to all types and scales of
disasters, from natural calamities to industrial accidents. It envisages
defining of roles and responsibilities with clear accountability through
structured command levels, including Incident Commanders, Planning, Operations
and Logistics Sections.
As far as the
resource management is concerned, the IRS envisages facilitating
identification, procurement and deployment of resources for immediate response.
It also emphasizes upon the need for dedicated communication systems, including
satellite phones and AI-powered software for efficient response and
coordination.
Moreover, with
respect to its implementation strategy at UT, Divisional, District level, the
roles of different senior officers as Incident Commander, Planning Section
Chief, Operations Chief, Logistics Section Chief, Liaison Officer, Media
Officer, Nodal Officer and dozens of others down the order under each section
to effect a quick response under any circumstances.
Additionally, to
enable quick decision-making and expenditure during emergencies, financial
autonomy at different levels will be granted in consultation with the Finance
Department, as was discussed in the meeting.