Beacon of Safety | NDRF, SDRF at forefront in helping people during natural disasters, accidents, Amarnath Yatra

Srinagar: National Defence Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) is the “Beacon of Safety” as the force remains at the forefront in dealing with natural disasters, accidents, and the Amarnath Yatra.

NDRF, SDRF, headed by Additional Director General of Police, S J M Gillani, is part of the Command Control Centre set for the ongoing annual Amarnath Yatra.

The Command Control Centre has around 60 people from around 20 government departments working day and night.

The departments working in the Hi-tech Command Control Centre include J&K Police, CRPF, NDRF, SDRF, Health, PHE, PDD, and Telecom and besides other departments.

The force was at the forefront in saving people, who drowned in Kashmir this summer.

Unfortunately, there have been instances when lives could not be saved.

However the bodies were recovered. 

In June, Kashmir witnessed an abnormal increase in the temperature making it the hottest month in the last 18 years.

During that month Kashmir recorded nine deaths due to drowning.

Many others were hospitalised after being rescued from rivers and streams, mostly by the dedicated teams of NDRF and SDRF.

The SDRF and NDRF have two battalions in Kashmir.

The force has units in 13 districts and remains ready round the clock to meet any eventuality.

“Be it drowning, accidents, blaze, we deal with all disasters in Kashmir,” a senior Police officer of the SDRF said. “We are fully equipped and personnel are being trained regularly.”

There are also Mountaineer Rescue Teams (MRTs) of SDRF and NDRF who are deployed for Amarnath Yatra.

“This year during the yatra, many yatris were rescued and provided safe passage by teams of SDRF and NDRF,” the officer said.

In July this year, Union Home Minister Amit Shah commended the NDRF and the SDRF for their role in providing a secure Amarnath Yatra experience for every yatri.

Shah had taken to Twitter to express his gratitude, stating that despite challenges, the NDRF and the SDRF had consistently served the nation and humanity.

He posted a photo of an SDRF soldier carrying a woman yatri for 3 kms through the treacherous Himalayan terrain, praising them as citizens’ safety guardians.

Sharing a photo on Twitter, Shah wrote: “The NDRF and the SDRF have always stood tall in service to the nation and humanity despite all odds. Their role has been crucial in fulfilling our goal of providing a safer Amarnath Yatra to the yatris. Sharing a photograph of an SDRF Jawan carrying a lady yatri on his back for 3 km through the unforgiving terrain of the Himalayas on her way back from the holy shrine. I applaud them for being the beacon of safety for the citizens.”

In May this year, Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh visited the SDRF battalion.

Recalling his posting in SDRF, the DGP threw light on how this force was strengthened and said that it had shown great efficiency while conducting different assistance assignments.

The DGP had directed for equipping the Mountaineer Rescue Teams, SDRF, and NDRF teams with all the necessary equipment and tools for efficient work on the ground and assistance to the yatris.

He desired putting on display the equipment and tools being used during rescue operations, which he said would be helpful to the interested people in knowing how to use them.

The DGP wished good luck to all the teams being deployed for the yatra and said,  “We all have to put in collective efforts for a peaceful and incident-free yatra.”