By IANS,
Agra : The impact of natural disasters could be minimised by spreading adequate information, creating public awareness and coordinating action, union Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahay said here Wednesday.
Sahay inaugurated the three-day international conference on earthquakes and rescue operations at Hotel Clark Shiraz.
Sharing experiences and exposure to the latest information on techniques of rescue operations would help considerably in disaster management, Sahay added.
The event is being sponsored by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in cooperation with International Search and Advisory Group (INSARG) for Asian and Pacific countries.
M. Shashi Dhar Reddy, vice president of the NDMA, detailed measures taken in advance to limit the damage caused by man-made disasters and steps to effectively deal with the impact of earthquakes.
He cited Japan’s example where in 2010 over 670,000 people had participated in a drill to test the state of preparedness.
Reddy said that periodic exercises were being carried out in Indian cities under the close watch of the authority.
More than 250 drills have been conducted 90 in schools and colleges, he added.