GUWAHATI, Aug 17 - With the flood situation remaining grim, the personnel of the State Disaster Response Force have been forced to work round-the-clock to rescue marooned people and so far, more than 7,000 persons have been rescued by the personnel of the force since the second wave of floods hit the State on August 10.
Director General of Fire and Emergency services, AP Rout told The Assam Tribune that 30 teams of the SDRF with hundred boats have been deployed in the affected places all over the State to rescue affected people and only on Wednesday morning, more than 500 persons and around 150 animals have been rescued in Dhemaji district, which faced severe fury of floods after a breach of an embankment.
He said that five boats of the SDRF, four of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and two of the Army were operating in the affected areas of Dhemaji on Wednesday.
Rout revealed that normally, three persons of the SDRF travel in each rescue boat. One is the driver of the engine fitted boat, one trained diver and another person to help people to get into the boats. �We are not sending too many of our persons on the boats to ensure that we have enough space to carry maximum number of affected people,� he added
Rout said that the SDRF personnel are working in close coordination with the NDRF and Army and personnel of the Fire Services are also helping out in the rescue operations. However, he said that there is not enough space in the boats at the disposal of the SDRF to carry relief materials. But at the same time, relief materials, medicines etc., to some remote parts are being carried by the SDRF personnel. Doctors and veterinary doctors are also taken to the remote areas by the SDRF men whenever required, he added.
The Fire and Emergency Service DG revealed that at present, the SDRF has two companies of manpower and the third company is on training. There is a proposal to raise four more companies to make a full-fledged battalion of the SDRF and once the strength of the force is increased, it would be able to cover more areas effectively. However, even after the government clears the proposal to raise the additional companies, it will take some time in training the new recruits. Moreover, steps have also been initiated to increase the number of boats at the disposal of the SRDF so that more areas can be covered during the floods.
