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on record
How successful have we been in creating disaster management infrastructure? A serious thought was being given on disaster management, particularly in the wake of the 1999 Orissa Super Cyclone and the 2001 Gujarat earthquake. The 2004 tsunami, which resulted in nearly 12,500 deaths in India, acted as a catalyst to put in place a national-level mechanism. Besides other structures, we now have a trained National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and are setting up response reserves. Even though we have the capability of land, ocean and space-based observational systems for cyclone forecasting, observations from the cyclone core environment are not available. To reduce forecasting errors, India plans to procure an aircraft capable of flying into the eye of the cyclone and collect data, and also through an unmanned aerial vehicle. Large tracts of land in the North fall in seismic zones. What kind of preparations are in place? About 59 per cent of India's land mass and 78 per cent population could face moderate to severe earthquakes. Srinagar falls under zone V while Delhi, Gurgaon, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Ambala, Dehradun, Shimla, Jalandhar, Jammu and Meerut fall under zone IV. Earthquake cannot be predicted, and its impact is within seconds. Long-term preparedness are important to effectively manage the disaster. Even though some training has been imparted, more needs to be done. We are finalising the National Earthquake Risk Mitigation Project for capacity building of architects, engineers and masons. This will cover all states. Compliance with building codes and bylaws is extremely important. People in high vulnerable areas should do so for their own safety. Poorly structured buildings, not earthquakes, kill people. Which disasters is the NDMA focusing on for better management mechanism? What about the funds? The NDMA is focusing on natural and man-made disasters like chemical, radiological and nuclear emergencies. We have released 17 disaster-specific, thematic guidelines on mitigation and preparedness. We are implementing the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project with the assistance of the World Bank to strengthen structural and non-structural cyclone mitigation efforts. We have conceptualised projects covering floods, landslides and a dedicated disaster communication network. What are your management mechanisms for nuclear and other man-made disasters? India's nuclear facilities are safe. It is mandatory to test both on-site and off-site emergency plans and regular exercises are being carried out. After the 2011 Japanese experience, the Prime Minister reviewed India's preparedness to deal with such disasters. I visited commissioned nuclear facilities in six states and supervised mock exercises to test off-site emergency plans. We will revise manuals. We have taken up certain issues with the ministries and states concerned. What was the experience gained in the Delhi quake preparedness campaign? As part of the campaign in February, the NDMA-DDMA conducted a mega mock exercise at 400 places simultaneously. Given the limited resources, this exercise was highly successful, but there is need to improve our resources. In 1905, an earthquake of 7.8 Mw magnitude occurred in the Kangra region of Himachal. Nearly 20,000 people died. A similar scenario created by seismologist AS Arya in 1992 projected it could cause complete collapse of nearly 1,45,000 houses. The loss of life could range from 88,999 to 3,44,000, depending on the time of the day. Keeping in view the vulnerability of these states, the NDMA is in the process of conducting multi-state preparedness campaigns, evaluating disaster management plans and identifying gaps. A scenario of an earthquake of 8 Mw magnitude, with epicentre at Sundarnagar in Himachal, has been generated with the help of IITs. How effective are awareness campaigns? We have been carrying out awareness campaigns through the media. The response has been good and we believe awareness is the key for better disaster management. We have also carried out a large number of mock drills for sensitisation and awareness of people, besides testing the gaps in preparedness. The NDRF has 10 battalions drawn from the CISF, BSF, ITBP and CRPF. How many more battalions do you plan to raise? For the last few years, the NDRF has been the face of the NDMA and states have appreciated the dedication of its personnel wherever they have been deployed, be it for major disasters or individual cases of building collapse in Bellary or Jalandhar. Two more battalions are proposed and we are encouraging state governments to raise a battalion-equivalent state disaster response force, which some state are in the process of doing.
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Abhay’s memoir, “River Valley to Silicon Valley — Story of Three Generations of an Indian Family”, was published in 2007. His other books are “Fallen Leaves of Autumn”, “10 questions of Soul”, a book on Russian cultural capital, St Petersburg, titled “Colours of the Soul”, and a collection of poems, “Candling the Light”. His writings have been published by several prestigious magazines. His latest collection of poems is “Remains”. The poems, written when he was posted in St Petersburg, were inspired by the architecture and landscape of Russia. Since his return to Delhi, Abhay has been busy writing a new book dedicated to Delhi. The book, titled “Seduction of Delhi”, is expected to be completed by next year. The book, he says, captures the centuries-old civilisation and cultural heritage of this great city. On weekends, he is seen walking around Feroze Kotla and visits Ashoka Pillar, which he says it very high and about 2,400 years old. He has a passion for history and many historic places in Delhi. “I was just looking at how much effort was made to bring the pillar from Ambala. It was pulled by ropes, each rope pulled by 200 men,” he says. What enthralls him about the ancient ruins is the fact that the place holds religious significance for the people even today. “I saw a lot of people come there with ‘arji’ (application)”, he says, referring to the practice of placing the ‘arji’ with their names and photograph along with a lit lamp in the belief that one’s desires will be fulfilled. “There are certain commonalities between the role of a poet and a diplomat. A poet prepares the philosophical background or vision of a world — a philosophical framework of how in future things could shape. A diplomat implements that vision,” Abhay says quoting “Poetry for a New Century: Poetry from Asia”— “poetry is the ambassador of the spirit”. Abhay’s father was a teacher. “We had lots and lots of books at home and I ended up reading so much as a child,” he says. Besides poetry of Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, Kabir and others, his mind was opened up by Panchantantra and other classics narrated by his grandmother. “I grew up inculcating what was the essence of Indian literature,” he says. Abhay was born and raised in the city of Rajgir in Nalanda district of Bihar. He studied at Delhi University and JNU. Later, he joined the Foreign Service in 2003. He also studied Russian language, history and literature at Moscow State University and US foreign policy at George Washington University.
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THE blood donation movement was launched at Rampura Phul in 1978. The Blood Donation Council has held 266 camps since and its volunteers aren’t confined by boundaries.
Sixtytwo-year-old Dr Ujagar Singh, former Senior Medical Officer, Rampura Phul, can never forget the fateful day in 1991, when he desperately awaited blood donation for a heart surgery at a multi-speciality hospital in Delhi, which did not have his blood group nor was there any donor. A phone call to the Blood Donation Council in the distant Rampura Phul town proved miraculous. Within hours, eight donors from the town reached Delhi. They didn’t come because Dr Ujagar Singh belonged to Rampura, but because they have devoted their life to the cause of blood donation. They have done so for friends and strangers alike since 1978. Later, the pleasantly surprised doctors shared the story with a national magazine about the gesture of the voluntary donors who travelled all the way to the Capital to donate blood. They also saved the lives of some others who required blood. Torchbearer
For the donors, it wasn’t a one-off thing. They have been doing this for decades, inspired by Hazari Lal Bansal. The tradition continues to this day despite his demise in August last year. His family, relatives and residents of Rampura carry forward the torch. Bansal began to donate blood at a time when it was considered a taboo and voluntary donation was unheard of. Even relatives of a patient in need were often reluctant to donate blood, fearing it would weaken them forever. Dr Ujagar Singh was so touched by their gesture that after his retirement, he settled down in Rampura Phul instead of his hometown Muktsar. He reminisces that a man from Uttar Pradesh had been awaiting surgery for weeks for want of blood. “None of his relatives were willing to donate. Inspired by Rampura residents, the ailing man’s wife gave her blood,” he says. Sunil, son of Hazari Lal, talks about the numerous trophies at Shaheed Samarak College (founded by his father) that were awarded to his father for pioneering the blood donation movement. “Hundreds of more such trophies are at our house. They are a reminder of the great service he did to the community and the philanthropic path he set for me. Everyone in my family, including my wife, donate blood. From a time when people thought they would die if they donated blood, we have come to a time when blood banks tell us they don’t need more blood!” he says. His father took up educating people about blood donation when his daughter required blood transfusion and no one came forward. “The first thing he did on his return to Rampura was to organise a meeting of his friends and start a club. On the first day of the camp, 46 persons turned up. It was encouraging,” says Sunil, showing a pamphlet of the first blood donation camp held in 1978. Since then, the council has organised 266 blood camps, an average of almost eight every year. However, his father could not donate much blood as he was afflicted with cancer and a rare eye disease that rendered him blind in his last years. But by that time, the movement had taken off. Taking it forward
“Many people from Rampura launched the movement where ever they went. Today, there are innumerable blood donation clubs all over the state, but those times were different,” recalls Surinder Garg, who has donated blood 97 times. “I will hit a century soon,” he grins. Donors Pawan Mehta and Sunder Lal, both linemen with the state power corporation, are also nearing the century mark. Hazari Lal gave nearly 1,500 extension lectures to educate people regarding blood donation and published a book that talks of misplaced fears and is replete with anecdotes. At one camp, the concerned mother of a youth came running to us with Rs 1,000 (valued much in 1978), pleading Bansal to take the money, and not her son’s blood. Another woman, whose husband had just donated blood, couldn’t contain her anger and hurled abuses at them, saying they had drained out all the blood from her husband. Sixtyfour-year-old Pritam Singh, Hazari Lal’s peon, recalls the strong opposition to the blood donation movement. “I worked with Principal Saheb (Hazari Lal). I have donated blood 31 times,” he says. He had feared that the movement would die with Hazari Lal. “But thanks to the residents of the town, which owes its identity to the philanthropic activity of blood donation, the movement goes on,” he says. It is a tribute to Bansal that many more clubs have come up over the years. A new club was inaugurated on December 12. Sandeep Verma of the Malwa Sahara Club says: “We want to carry forward the movement. We will keep the name of Rampura Phul alive forever.” The movement has attracted members from every caste, creed and community. Peons, shopkeepers, butchers, milkmen, employees’ union, women’s organisations, village youth clubs — all organise blood donation camps, besides being available for any SOS call. The Blood Donation Council president, Dharam Singh Bhullar, is from a village in Ramoura tehsil. “It is our endeavour to spread the movement to the interiors of the state,” he says. Every camp carries a large poster of the late Hazari Lal exhorting all to donate blood with the couplet: “Zindagi ka yu zubaan pe naam aana chahiye, aadmi ko aadmi ke kaam aana chahiye”.
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Nitish Kumar, bihar chief minister Jairam Ramesh, union minister
for rural development Rahul Gandhi, congress general secretary Sourav Ganguly, former india cricket
team captain Murli Manohar Joshi, bjp leader
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As if with settled predilections and hurried consultations, the Inter-Ministerial Group concluded that Bihar doesn’t have a hilly terrain or sparse population to deserve a special category state status. 
I have to apologise to the country (on the issue of manual scavenging). I will take your demand to the Prime Minister and tell him that he should also apologise to the people.
People told Rajivji nobody listens to them. So he gave you the phone. He was helped in that by a Gujarati, Sam Pitroda. Modi is the sort of man who’d look at another person’s watch and tell him the time.
Tendulkar is not performing and I think if I were him, I would retire. But it’s up to him. We want to see the great man going with his head held high and not in terrible form.
The FDI formula has failed in five countries in which it was introduced earlier. It will not benefit small traders and farmers. The NDA will scrap it if voted to power in 2014.