New Delhi, January 9
The all-party meeting convened by the government today agreed on a slew of measures for effectively tackling the challenge posed by calamities like tsunami, including the setting up of a national disaster management authority and installing an early warning system for taking precautionary measures.
A Bill would be brought in the Budget Session of Parliament, beginning next month, to give effect to the proposed authority, Home Minister Shivraj Patil said after an over three-hour meeting convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here.
The meeting, attended by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Leader of the Opposition L K Advani and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, saw the Prime Minister giving a brief account on the death and devastation caused by the December 26 tsunami disaster in which a total of 10,012 persons were killed and 5,624 were missing.
Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who addressed the press conference along with Mr Patil and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, said leaders of all parties “appreciated the prompt action” taken after the disaster and assured cooperation in the relief and rehabilitation exercise undertaken by the government.
The Home Minister said India would be “part and parcel” of all international efforts towards putting in place an early warning system and the government had already appointed a committee to suggest the best technology for such a system.
An international conference of scientists had been convened by the government here on January 21 to take expert views on the issue and also involve the central departments concerned, including Science and Technology, Ocean Development and Space, Mr Pawar said.
Besides, the meeting was informed that the government had accepted 64 of the 97 recommendations of the National Committee on Disaster Management headed by Mr Pawar, including the setting up of a Cabinet Committee on Disaster Management.
He said the 12th Finance Commission was going into the issue of
making available funds to tackle such calamities.
On the acceptance of foreign aid, the Defence Minister said the Prime Minister had already made it clear that India did not need such assistance at this juncture.
He, however, sought to distinguish assistance from the World Bank and IMF, saying that these two were different entities and India was one of their founding members.
Mr Mukherjee said of the 5,624 persons missing, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands accounted for most of them as 5,531 persons from there were not traceable.
The meeting saw a 30-minute presentation by the Home Secretary and a detailed briefing by the Cabinet Secretary.
Replying to a question, the Home Minister said the children orphaned in the disaster would be the responsibility of the government and NGOs and individual adoptions would come only at the end. “We do have laws and procedures. We will take care of our children,” Mr Patil said.
The Home Minister said children and old people were the largest victims in the tragedy as they were at home and sucked in by the killer waves.
Mr Mukherjee said 20,800 personnel of the armed forces and the paramilitary forces were involved in the rescue and relief effort, “one of the biggest peacetime operations” undertaken by the Army, the Navy and the Air Force.
A large number of ships, aircraft, helicopters and other equipment were being used for these operations, not only in India but also in neighbouring countries affected by the tsunami, he said. Asked whether it was being treated as a national calamity, the three ministers said in unison that it was one.
The Home Minister said there were several suggestions from leaders of various parties, including giving top priority to the rehabilitation of fishermen who had been hit hard by the calamity.
They also wanted steps to ensure ecological balance and providing counselling to women and children who have undergone trauma due to the tragedy.
Later, senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said the leaders felt that the setting up of a warning system would be much better than spending thousands of crore in relief and rehabilitation.
CPM leaders Nilotpal Basu and Basudev Acharia said all parties agreed that the tsunami disaster was a national calamity and the rescue, relief and reconstruction operations were well-managed.
Mr Acharia said 90 per cent of those affected were fishermen and all parties demanded loan waivers and special assistance for boats and nets.
TDP leader K. Yerrannaidu said he had sought the enhancement of the ex-gratia amount from the present Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh and a comprehensive insurance policy covering all fishermen from the east and west coast should be worked out.
Others who attended the meeting included BJP leader Jaswant Singh, Shiv Sena’s Ananta Geete, SAD leader S. S. Dhindsa, RSP leader Abani Roy and Indian Federal Democratic Party leader P. C. Thomas.
Two AIADMK ministers of Tamil Nadu represented the party at the meeting.
