Grants dry up, Punjab axes all disaster management officers

BATHINDA: The state government has terminated the services of all 33 officers working in the disaster management wing of the Punjab revenue, rehabilitation and disaster management department. Services of the officials working on contracts will come to an end on March 23, 2015. With it the emergency operation centres (EOC) in all 22 districts of the state will be closed down and analyzing satellite images and mock drill operations in hazardous industrial units are expected to be hit hard. With no alternate arrangement in pipeline yet, the state will be left vulnerable to calamities, both man-made and natural.
With an aim to analyze satellite images and to put resources inventory on the map, 33 officers — including 25 response centre professionals (RCPs), five disaster management coordinators (DMCs) and one statistical analyst, web designer and accountant each — were recruited in December 2011. The officers were provided exhaustive training at Dehradun by the government. The appointments were made after directions of 13th Finance Commission.

Punjab revenue secretary Samir Kumar confirmed the decision. "The state government was getting central grants for this specific purpose under the 13th Finance Commission. As the grants have been stopped, their services have been terminated. The government will take measures to stop the impact of the decision disaster management plans," he said.

Taken aback, the officers have decided to approach the Punjab and Haryana high court whereas Congress legislature party leader Sunil Jakhar too has assured them to raise the matter in the state assembly.

They were appointed in all districts of Punjab and the state headquarters to manage EOCs. On February 24, the revenue, rehabilitation and disaster management department served them one month notice for terminating their services.

"The BTech, MCA or MSc (IT) pass out officers, currently getting Rs 24,200 as monthly salary, were recruited to manage the disaster system and to coordinate between various departments of power and telecommunications to regulate disaster activities and to digitize satellite images for predicting any disaster. After our termination all these operations will come to a halt," said some of the affected officers.

"We were also tying up with industrial units in high risk category to suggest ways for transporting hazardous material from one place to other and organizing mock drills to prepare workers for any eventuality. But all this will be halted after our services are terminated. EOCs too will be closed down at every deputy commissioner's office across Punjab," they said.

Speaking about the issue, CLP leader Jakhar said, "It seems that the Punjab government is not serious about dealing with possible disasters in the state. I will raise the issue in the assembly."