Three day International seminar on Disaster Management to begin on the 6th December PRANAB MUKHERJEE, ADMIRAL ARUN PRAKASH AND VICE ADMIRAL RAMAN PURI TO ADDRESS THE SEMINAR
	16:45 IST

An International seminar on ‘Disaster Management – Emerging Challenges for the Armed Forces’ will be held under the aegis of the Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff of the Ministry of Defence in the United Services Institution here from the 6th to 8th of this month. To be conducted in five sessions over a period of three days, the seminar would see expert participants from India and abroad taking up themes such as challenges and risks of disaster in Asia Pacific region; the national structure for disaster management and role of the armed forces; regional cooperation-capacity and resources and interoperability nuances; functional linkages to empower response to disaster and civil-military coordination aspects for humanitarian aid in natural disasters. The seminar assumes significance in the light of the fact that the Asia Pacific region was recently hit by major disasters such as the Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and the earthquake in India and Pakistan. The affected nations have drawn up institutional mechanisms for prevention, mitigation and the coordination of relief and rescue operations to be undertaken during such large scale devastations. The seminar is expected to enhance knowledge on disaster management, by breaking down threadbare, each nation’s experience and transforming the same into specific measures and rules which would help in reducing reaction time and for better preparedness in future crisis. The Defence Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee will deliver the inaugural address and the Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Arun Prakash will deliver the keynote address. Former Chief of Army Staff and Vice Chairman National Disaster Management Gen NC Vij and the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee Vice Admiral Raman Puri are also slated to address the seminar. Eminent speakers from various world bodies such as the United Nations’ office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Geneva; Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre, Bangkok and US Pacific Command and the Pacific Disaster Centre, Hawaii; ASEAN Committee for Disaster Management and the Ministry of External Affairs are expected to share their views and experiences as regards disaster management. Delegates from Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, New Zealand, Philippines, Brunei, Thailand and Vietnam have been invited to participate in the seminar. The three day seminar will draw to a conclusion on the 8th of this month with the valedictory address by the Defence Secretary Shri Shekhar Dutt. ASR