BMC considering proposal to set up ward-level disaster management cells

“A team will be headed by a person with disaster management experience and three assistants, one fire officer from the local fire station and security personnel.
The team will identify all potential disaster risks in their wards and prepare an action report,” said an official from the Disaster Management Cell.

After the proposal is approved, work on setting up the teams will begin.

Last year, 29 people had lost their lives in two separate landslides at Chembur and Vikhroli. Mumbai has more than 290 landslide-prone areas across. There are also slums along the bank of Mithi River that need to be evacuated when the water level crosses the danger mark.

Currently, the disaster management cell operates from the BMC headquarters at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT). Although there is a small office in each administrative ward, it is not very active in the absence of dedicated staff. Officials said the dedicated teams will also work as first responders at disaster sites.

On February 3, Municipal Commissioner I S Chahal in his budget speech had said the corporation is planning to revamp the disaster management department. “The revamping of the disaster management department is proposed for effective disaster management in a decentralised manner for quick and effective response to any emergency situations,” Chahal had said.

Considering the population, geographic conditions and other risk factors in the city, it is proposed to establish a subsection of disaster management to tackle any disastrous situation effectively at ward level, Chahal had said.