In view of the evolving situation due to cyclone Amphan in Odisha and West Bengal, 2 teams of 5th Battalion of National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF), Pune were airlifted by Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft to Kolkata, on Thursday at 7:24 pm from Lohegaon, Airport, Pune.
This is a unique deployment for NDRF, considering the fact that teams will be facing 2 disasters simultaneously, one that of the visible cyclone and another of the invisible COVID-19. Taking this into account teams have been equipped and sensitised accordingly, said NDRF in a release.
"NDRF has been training and equipping itself since the outbreak of COVID-19 to face and gear itself up for such complex emergencies. We have reformulated and tweaked our SOPs to operate in such situations. True to its motto of "Aapda Seva Saidaiv" NDRF is ready for this challenge, and serve our countrymen," the release reads.
Earlier, assuring about the restoration work in the affected states, NDRF Chief SN Pradhan said: "The entire country is with the cyclone-affected states, all agencies of the Central Government will go full tilt to speed up restoration and life goes back to normal, that is our commitment."
Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that Rs 1,000 crore fund has been created for restoration work for areas affected by cyclone Amphan, which has claimed the lives of 72 people so far in the state.
( With inputs from ANI )