Mawdiangdiang, May 22:In the first ever step of its journey to becoming a regional hub in Northeast India for imparting training on Disaster Management, the Central Training Institute of Civil Defence and Home Guards at Mawdiangdiang today saw the inauguration of a “Flood Disaster Response Training” for volunteers all the way from Sikkim.
Funded under the Central Government scheme called “AapdaMitra” the training is being organized all over India to train community volunteers in disaster response in the selected most flood prone districts of the country. Commencing with the first batch of fifty volunteers, the State’s premiere institute in disaster management will be training a total of 200 volunteers from Sikkim through the collaboration with Sikkim Disaster Management Authority (SDMA).
“The terrain in Sikkim is very similar to Meghalaya, therefore you (volunteers) will greatly benefit from this training” said ShriRinzing C Bhutia, Special Secretary, Sikkim Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) while jointly inaugurating the training programme with Shri M K Sangma, Joint Director of Civil Defence & Joint Commandant General of Home Guards, Meghalaya today.
ShriBhutia said that Sikkim has just set up its own training institute in the state, so it is not yet able to impart training on the various subjects of disaster management, whereas, the Institute at Mawdiangdiang offers a great opportunity not only in terms of the similarities in geographical terrain, weather and culture but the fact that it has a well-trained faculty and staff. He urged the volunteers from Sikkim to derive the most benefit from the opportunity to be trained in Meghalaya.
Speaking earlier in the inaugural ceremony, Shri MK SangmaJoint Director of Civil Defence & Joint Commandant General of Home Guards assured the officials from SDMA and the volunteers that they will receive the best training in CTI, Mawdiangdiang as it has officers and instructors who have been trained in the premiere institutions of the Country and even abroad.
He said that the Department and the state as a whole hopes to have more collaboration with Sikkim for such trainings in the future. He also welcomed the volunteers to enjoy the sights and sounds of Meghalaya when they are taken for sightseeing during breaks in the training.
Others who spoke on the occasion were,Shri R P Khongwar, Senior Staff Officer, Directorate of Civil Defence & Home Guards and Shri S Rangad, Commandant, Central Training Institute of Civil Defence and Home Guards at Mawdiangdiang.
