New Delhi. Indian Air Force’s (IAF’s) Western Air Command conducted a seminar on Humanitarian and Disaster Relief (HADR) in New Delhi May 14.
The seminar was being conducted to focus onto effective measures to deal with HADR situations in Northern region of India. Apart from the IAF participation, secretary level delegations from the states of Himanchal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir were participating in the seminar. Major respondents to disaster situations like NDMA, NDRF and ITBP have also been attending the seminar.
In disaster situations, more often than not, the IAF is the first responder and kick starts the process of help to the affected population. To its credit, the IAF has not only national disaster relief operations like Op Madad – Chennai Cyclone, Op Rahat– Uttarakhand Flash Floods, Op MeghRahat– Flood relief in J&K and relief operations at Andhra Pradesh during cyclone HUD HUD, it also has been carrying out relief actions in the international disaster situations like Evac of Indian Diaspora from Yemen, Op Maitri – earthquake relief at Nepal, cyclone relief at FIJI and flood relief in Sri Lanka. In most cases aircraft and personnel of Western Air Command have been the mainstay of these operations.
On the agenda were also discussions on National Perspective on Disaster Management & Capability Building and Enhancement of disaster relief for the attending states. Discussions on the response procedure using the IAF platforms would also be held at the seminar.
“I hope that by the end of the seminar we would have a clear understanding between all agencies involved in responding to a crisis situation at the earliest in an effective, efficient and economical manner. This would definitely reduce the loss of life and infrastructure during calamities” said the Senior Air Staff Officer of Western Air Command, Air Marshal NJS Dhillon, who is also a recipient of Presidential award of Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM).
HQ WAC has been conducting such seminars and demonstrations across its area of responsibility. The present high level seminar, which is of two-day, would culminate May 15.
