Civil defence crucial for safeguarding lives: Director Civil Defence & SDRF Kashmir
Baramulla, May 17: The director civil defence and SDRF Kashmir, Imtiyaz Hussain Mir, on Saturday said that it is important to strengthen the civil defence network so that the lives of the common people is protected during crisis and natural calamities.
“Whether it's a natural calamity or an emergency situation, civil defence volunteers are always the first responders. Therefore, we need a well-trained and comprehensive force of volunteers ready to act in such situations,” he said.
The civil defence Kashmir, in collaboration with the district administration Baramulla, organised an interactive event at Dak Bungalow, Baramulla. Addressing the gathering, Imtiyaz Hussain Mir said that in present times, the role of civil defence volunteers (CDVs) has become increasingly vital. He highlighted the key importance of having trained CDVs in border districts such as Baramulla, Kupwara, and Bandipora, which share boundaries with Pakistan.
“Considering the recent situation In these areas, the urgency for trained personnel is even greater,” he added. He stressed the need for regular training programmes, better inter-departmental coordination, and enhanced public awareness to improve community resilience. “For the safety of society, there should be at least one civil defence volunteer for every 1,000 citizens,” he said while addressing the participants.
The event saw the participation of a large number of volunteers. The director CDVs was accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Minga Sherpa, SSP Baramulla Gurindarpal Singh, Commandant SDRF 1st Battalion Srinagar Masroor Ahmad Mir, Additional Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Syed Altaf Hussain Musavi, DySP Headquarters Baramulla Altaf Khan, and DySP DAR Baramulla Ajay Hans.
The event aimed to strengthen community-based disaster preparedness, and to recognize the contributions of civil defence volunteers, and foster an integrated emergency response system in the district.
Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Commissioner Minga Sherpa praised the dedication of civil defence volunteers and announced that the district administration will soon launch a mass enrollment drive to bring more citizens—especially youth—into the civil defence network.
He said disaster preparedness is not just the responsibility of agencies, but of the entire community.
"Extensive awareness and training programmes will be conducted across urban and rural areas of the district to ensure a well-informed and prepared population. Empowering citizens through training and support will remain our top priority,” added DC Baramulla.
Other speakers, including senior civil defence officers and local officials, called for stronger coordination among departments, improved logistics for volunteers, and increased people's involvement in disaster risk reduction initiatives.
