SHILLONG, July 15 ? Despite being prone to multi-hazards like floods, landslides and earthquakes, most of the north-eastern States are yet to fully implement a disaster risk management programme. The Union Home Ministry last year instructed all the 17 States in the country to implement the programme, a project of the Centre and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), entailing, inter alia, enactment of a relevant law with some institutional changes and involving other departments besides the relief and rehabilitation in tackling disasters.
But this was in ?different stages of implementation? in the States, Sujoy Choudhury, UNDP programme associate for the north-eastern region, told reporters here. Choudhury, who works in tandem with the North Eastern Council?s Disaster Management Cell, gave some elaboration on implementation saying Assam, which happened to be the most affected states in recurrent floods, prepared a draft Bill which was sent to the law department. It would now go to the finance department before getting the cabinet approval.
Arunachal Pradesh, another flood-hit State, could only issue an executive guideline before enacting the relevant law. Other states of the region were also progressing in this regard but could not implement it so far, he said. The law, which the States were asked to frame, would envisage formulating a Disaster Management Authority detailing proper role and responsibility of every institution of a government unlike the past when measures were taken by the relief and rehabilitation department only, he said.