30 youth trained in disaster management

Parvathipuram (Vizianagaram): Apart from providing skills development programmes like motor mechanic, computer training, electrician and others, now the Parvathipuram ITDA authorities are providing training to tribal youth in disaster management also.

The youth are being trained in saving lives of people during calamities like cyclones and floods and rescuing them from their homes and shifting to safer areas like rescue homes and rehabilitation centres.

In order to prepare the community to face the disasters confidently, Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Red Cross in coordination with ITDA Parvathipuram started capacity building programme at Youth Training Centre (YTC) G L Puram, Vizianagaram district.

Tribal youth from Titli-affected villages were trained on the disaster preparedness, risk management and community resource mobilisation to face the disaster like situations in remote areas. First aid and survival techniques, rescue and rehabilitation skills, disaster response and disaster mitigation measures were taught by the experts from UNDP, Red Cross and National Federation for Human Rights.

This was a much needed intervention to prepare community for fighting disasters. Twenty-five boys and five girls from Jarada and Tithiri gram panchayats were given training and responsibility to be the agent of change in their villages to overcome the emergency situations. With the help of APSDMA, we are planning to cover all the gram panchayats in TSP mandals in next six months, said Dr G Lakshmisha, PO ITDA Parvathipuram.

He said it is capacity building for youths to save themselves and their kith and kin from disasters. Training cost, food and accommodation is borne by UNDP and AP State Disaster Management Authority. Moved by the recent incidences of Titli followed by Petai and Fani cyclones, the APSDMA entered into an agreement with the UNDP to prepare the community for successfully facing the disasters.

In the first spell, the Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts are identified to prepare them for Community Based Risk Management (CBDRM). In the next step, the village level response teams will be arranged in all the vulnerable villages, said M Venkata Ratnam, UNDP District Project Officer, Vizianagaram.