NDRF deploys 11 teams in coastal Maharashtra as IMD issues heavy rain warning

The 5th Battalion of the NDRF is stationed at Sudumbare in Maval taluka and has primary operational responsibility for the states of Maharashtra and Goa. The 5th Battalion comprises 18 self-contained specialised search and rescue teams. Officials said that in line with the NDRF’s core strategy of ‘proactive availability’ of this force to the states and the policy of ‘pre-positioning’ its teams in potential disaster situations, the 5th Battalion has prepositioned its teams in disaster-prone areas in Maharashtra, mainly in western Maharashtra and the state’s coastal districts.

NDRF officials said that one team each had been prepositioned in Palghar, Thane, Kurla, Ghatkopar, Mahad in Raigad, Kolhapur, Sangli, Karad in Satara district, Kudal in Sindhudurg, and two teams in Ratnagiri district, with one each in Khed and Chiplun. The Battalion has a Regional Response Center at Andheri in Mumbai, which has three permanent deployments of three teams and one team in Nagpur. In addition, three more teams are on standby at the battalion headquarters in Pune.

NDRF officials said that to reduce the response time, the teams of the 5th Battalion have been prepositioned strategically after conducting a vulnerability and hazard mapping of the regions in consultation and coordination with the State Disaster Management Authority. Each of the 16 battalions of the NDRF in India has a strength of 18 self-contained specialist teams, including engineers, technicians, electricians, canine squads, medics and paramedics.

The 5th Battalion functions as a stand-alone specialised response force of the Government of India in Maharashtra and Goa, responding to natural and man-made disasters. Maharashtra is among the five states in the country that are most vulnerable to extreme climate events and related disasters such as floods, landslides, and cyclones. The state is also vulnerable to industrial and chemical accidents, rail and road accidents, etc. During monsoon season, Maharashtra is highly susceptible to floods.

Officials said that NDRF mobilises in consultation and coordination with the state and district authorities; a phone call or a news item can also trigger a response instead of waiting for a formal request. They added that the teams are highly trained in conducting swift rescue and relief operations in floods and cyclones, as well as collapsed structure search and rescue. Specialised dog units and state-of-the-art equipment allow the teams to locate trapped victims in large areas in the shortest possible time. These teams can also respond to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) challenges and high-rise mountain rescue operations.

Officials said the 5th Battalion undertakes regular training and familiarisation exercises and conducts various mock drills and joint exercises to improve disaster preparedness.