Ponguleti Says Disaster Management to Be Modernised With ₹100 Crore
He disclosed that the government had decided to procure state-of-the-art equipment worth ₹100 crore to enhance preparedness and response capabilities against any kind of disaster.
Hyderabad:Revenue minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy on Wednesday said the state government will strengthen its Disaster Management wing towards turning it into a national role model in effective handling of natural calamities and minimising loss of life and property.
He disclosed that the government had decided to procure state-of-the-art equipment worth ₹100 crore to enhance preparedness and response capabilities against any kind of disaster.
The minister held a review meeting at the Secretariat with officials of Disaster Management, Fire Services, SDRF, HYDRAA and the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) to finalise the nature of equipment to be procured. He said the focus will be on precise information systems and real-time monitoring to enable swift response during floods, fire accidents and other emergencies.
The government plans to introduce advanced early warning systems, drones, satellite-based communication facilities, modern rescue equipment, and cutting-edge technologies for fire and search operations.
Ponguleti announced that a world-class Disaster Management Training Centre will be set up at the state-level to provide continuous and specialised training to personnel working in the department. He announced that advanced weather stations will be installed up to the mandal level so that local weather conditions could be communicated to the public in real time.
To strengthen rescue operations during floods and heavy rains, especially when people get trapped in streams, canals, and tanks, the minister suggested an airlift mechanism and procuring drones capable of lifting 70–80 kilogrammes, so that people can be shifted to safer locations.
In this regard, he recalled an incident in 2024 in his Palair constituency, where rescue operations got hampered due to the absence of an effective airlift system. “Such situations should not repeat in the future,” he underlined.
The minister instructed HYDRAA commissioner A.V. Ranganath to procure necessary equipment to tackle fire accidents in high-rise buildings in Hyderabad. He proposed the purchase of 77 high-speed boats for flood rescue operations. He said the state currently has 12 SDRF teams and each team should be provided regular and advanced training to maintain high standards of disaster response readiness.
Those who attended the meeting included special chief secretary (Disaster Management) Arvind Kumar, Fire Services director Vikraman Singh, HYDRAA commissioner Ranganath, and ICCC director Kamal Hasan Reddy.
Ponguleti also reviewed arrangements for the Medaram Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara and instructed officials to ensure seamless coordination among all departments, so that devotees do not face any inconvenience. He interacted from the Secretariat with personnel on traffic duty at Medaram using high-frequency walkie-talkies and enquired about crowd movement, traffic regulation and on-ground conditions.
The minister instructed police to remain vigilant and manage traffic effectively. He asked departments to frequently check drinking water supply and transportation facilities, so that devotees are provided with uninterrupted services throughout the festival period.