By IRNA,
New Delhi : Warning about the threat of bio-terrorism, India’s Home Minister Shivraj Patil said there was a need for better coordination between the Center and states to meet such a challenge as he unveiled guidelines for biological disaster management.
The guidelines prepared by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) focus on issues related to health, immediate trauma and suffering, mental health and psychological support, identification of vulnerable groups and creation of community awareness to meet the challenges.
After releasing the National Guidelines on Biological Disaster Management in New Delhi on Friday, the home minister cautioned that biological disasters could spread like wild fire and said bio-technology can be used for causing harm to human beings and genetics can be used as a weapon.
“It is very difficult to predict natural as well as man-made disasters. Therefore, constant vigilance is necessary. And, preparedness is all the more necessary,” he said.
Patil favored proper cooperation between the Center and the states, and said coordination between the district and local bodies was all the more necessary to handle biological disasters.
Describing the task of managing such disasters as very difficult, he said a lot of money and vision would be needed.
“While there will be no shortage of funds, the cooperation and coordination (at various levels) should be better than what we are doing now,” he said.
Patil also sought cooperation from non-government organizations for better results.