This is All India Radio. In the program Spotlight, now we bring you an exclusive interview with Atul Karwal, Director General of National Disaster Response Force on operation Dost and NDRF's commendable rescue efforts. The interviewer is Omwesh Upadhyay, AIR Correspondent.
Omwesh Upadhyay, AIR Correspondent:
On February 6th, this year, a massive earthquake of magnitude 7.8 struck Turkey’s southeast region and neighbouring Syria. Resulting in the loss of over 40,000 lives and leaving more than one million people homeless. In response, India launched operation Dost to provide aid to the affected regions. The Indian Embassy issued passports on the same day and coordinated with the Turkey government to receive visa on arrival on an urgent basis. India sends significant amounts of relief materials to both Turkey and Syria, including a mobile hospital, specialised search and rescue teams, and emergency medical equipment such as portable ECG machines and patient monitors. In addition to this, three self-sustaining teams of the National Disaster Response Force, consisting of over 150 specially trained personnel and their dogs as well as specialized vehicles and supplies were deployed to Turkey. Our rescue teams battled odd likes language and debris for the tough humanitarian effort and brought emotive people-to-people connections among the two Nations and a strong relationship was built between our rescuers and locals. After the NDRF teams returned, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with the rescue Personnel, who returned after saving lives and winning hearts. And today, to discuss on this in detail, we are joined by Shri Atul Karwal, Director General, National Disaster Response Force. Welcome to the program Mr Karwal.
Atul Karwal, Director General, National Disaster Response Force:
Thank you very much.
Omwesh Upadhyay, AIR Correspondent:
If I begin the discussion, we were seeing the photos that were coming from the ground of Turkey and Syria, how paramilitary personnels were rescuing people beneath the debris, heartwarmingmoments of hugs and blessings to the Indian team for their role. I want to understand from you, what was the operation Dost and now, how you see that?
Atul Karwal, Director General, National Disaster Response Force:
So, as soon as the news of the earthquake reached India, the Honorable Prime Minister pledged full support in this time of crisis. We were immediately called in a meeting and we were asked to prepare two teams as soon as possible. So all the different Ministries and departments got together to make it happen. The Ministry of External Affairs made our official passports. We equipped our teams. Put them together. We added things which will ensure we remain self-sufficient for the first two weeks, tentage, fuel, food, anything and everything that the teams may require. The Indian Air Force C-17 Globe Masters, they carried all our rescuers: total of three teams and their equipment, and rescue dogs, and vehicles also. So three planes ferried eventually 152 rescuers with 11 vehicles and six rescue dogs to Turkey. And then, these teams joined the operations of the Search and Rescue Operations there. So, the first team left the same night at 3 AM. The second team left at 12 30 in the afternoon. So, it was done at a very short notice and very quickly. So, Indian teams were amongst the earliest teams which reported there and we were the fourth largest contingent in Turkey which had got teams and support from 80 countries.
Omwesh Upadhyay, AIR Correspondent:
So, Sir, you were telling that how medical aid and all the logistics were maintained while you were supposed to reach Turkey and Syria. Is there any pre-decided protocol or way to go or you custom-made the strategy, how to tacklethe Disaster Relief and how to do the rescue operation?
Atul Karwal, Director General, National Disaster Response Force:
NDRF has been assisting internationally earlier also. 2011, a small team of 46 Rescuers had gone to Japan when the earthquake hit it. In 2015 we had sent about 700 plus rescues to Nepal in the Nepal earthquake disaster. So, there is a protocol and a checklist based on which the teams are prepared very quickly so that nothing is left out and we have everything that the team may need. In the case of Turkey, because of the cold temperatures, we also issued very good quality winter clothing, presuming that they would have to stay in tents, they will get no accommodation in times of disaster like this. They should be completely taken care of. Also, the teams comprise, we sent a doctor with them, there were paramedics, there are technicians, there are Engineers, there are logistic experts, there are chemical experts, so that anything and everything which can face us in this challenging situation, the team should be ready for that.
Atul Karwal, Director General, National Disaster Response Force:
So, Sir, were there any special challenges? Because you were also operating at that time in Syria as well. So for a country specific, were there any special challenges?
Atul Karwal, Director General, National Disaster Response Force:
Syria had not requested for a team. They had requested for medical supplies which were sent to them. A whole Plane Road of medicines and surgical instruments as requested has gone. In Turkey, the additional challenges were: number one, the cold climate. Temperatures dip to -7, -10 degrees and the rescuers had to operate in that and ensure they work till 16-18 hours a day to get people out alive. The other challenge was the language. Without the help of an interpreter it was difficult to converse with the local population. Therefore, the communication was difficult.
Omwesh Upadhyay, AIR Correspondent:
Here, I want to take your views on an other aspect that is, how undoubtedly India has strengthened its identity in the last few years as a country of self-sufficiency and also selflessly helping others, whether, in the pandemic, we've seen the Vaccine Maitri Program and now providing a quick response in the earthquake disaster of Turkey and Syria. The Prime Minister also reiterated at times where he said,
(Audio of PM’s speech) “अयंनिजः परोवेति गणना लघुचेतसाम्। उदार चरितानांतु वसुधैव कुटुंबकम्।।
अर्थात बड़े ह्रदय वालेलोग अपने पराए की गणना नहीं करते। उदार चरित्र वालों के लिए पूरी पृथ्वी ही अपना परिवारहोती है।यानी वह जीवमात्र को अपना मान कर उनकी सेवा करते हैं। तुर्किये हो या फिर सीरिया, पूरी टीम ने इन्हींभारतीय संस्कारों का एक प्रकार से प्रगतिकरण किया है। हम पूरे विश्व को एक परिवार मानतेहैं। ऐसे में परिवार के किसी भी सदस्य पर अगर संकट आए, तो भारत का धर्महै, भारत का कर्तव्य है कि उसकी मदद के लिए तेजी से आगे बढ़ना। देश कोई भी हो, अगर बात मानवता कीहै, मानवीय संवेदना की है, तो भारत मानवहित को ही सर्वो परि रखता है। प्राकृतिकआपदा के समय इस बात का बहुत महत्व होता है की सहायता कितनी तेजी से पहुंचाई गई। जैसेएक्सीडेंट के समय एक गोल्डनआवर होता है, इनका भी एक गोल्डन टाइम होता है। सहायता करने वालीटीम कितनी तेजी से पहुंची। तुर्किये में भूकंप के बाद आपस भी जितनी जल्दी वहां पहुंचेइससे पूरे विश्व का ध्यान आपकी ओर खींचा है।”
Omwesh Upadhyay, AIR Correspondent:
Mr Karwal, how do you see the new India playing the big brother role?
Atul Karwal, Director General, National Disaster Response Force:
Taking a cue from one of the oldest civilizations that we are and we respect the values of humanity and support, and as recently mentioned by the Honorable Prime Minister, the driving philosophies ‘Vasudeva Kutumbakam’, the whole world is one family. So India has taken this initiative of helping out countries as you mentioned whether in the pandemic or in a disaster situation, regardless of what relationship we might have with them otherwise. And we have sent relief material and such operations of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Eastern Africa, Southern Africa. So India's reach and capability has become much better. Many teams which came to Turkiye this time, they could not bring their vehicles. So they had to wait to get into operations which could have meant loss of life. Because any delay might you know, impair our capacity to get out people alive. But India had the capacity of even sending vehicles across to Turkey, seven-eight hour flight. So we can see how India is gaining prominence in its reach and in its capacity to provide assistance in any disaster, even an unprecedented one, like the pandemic.
Omwesh Upadhyay, AIR Correspondent:
And here, I would like to also raise the aspect that despite the United States sanctions against Syria, India continued to provide emergency medical equipment and aid to Syria. As you also mentioned that they did not requested for a team but medical aids. So can we say that India underlined the importance of International Cooperation and Solidarity, especially in times of crisis and emerged as a thought leader? What's your view on this?
Atul Karwal, Director General, National Disaster Response Force:
Very much so. India has taken an independent position that in times of crisis, we will reach out to you regardless of what might have happened in the past, regardless of any return favours. If you are facing a difficult situation, India would reach out to you and help you out to the extent that we can, which was exemplified by this current very quick, very speedy and very scaled response, because of which the people of Turkey really appreciated, they gave a lot of respect and love to our rescuers and which is why you saw some videos, where the Indian teams were exiting, people were crying and clapping, giving us a very-very emotional send-off.
Omwesh Upadhyay, AIR Correspondent:
And even I remember, External Affairs Minister, Sri Jayashankar's view on this, that, he said and amplified the voice that, you don't need to be on any side to prove that, what India is today. I also want to understand from you that, how technologically sufficient our NDRF teams are. Because in the rescue operations of Turkiye and Syria, NDRF used deep radars that pick up feeble sounds like the heartbeat or sound of a person, so they can detect if there's anyone under the debris. And in addition, the teams on the ground have quickly deployed antenna and satellite phones for communication as well. So, Mr Karwal, how much of these tech support help in rescue and how versed our NDRF is?
Atul Karwal, Director General, National Disaster Response Force:
The equipping and training of NDRF is of world standard. So, the equipment that we carried was top-of-the-line. And we are very well equipped and we had this huge support of the Indian Air Force, that one plane carries 70 tons of cargo, one C17 Globe Master. So, there was no dearth of space or any shortage of any carrying capacity. So we carried all that we had. We also have a very good complement of rescue dogs. Because the technical equipment, the technical search which has life detectors as you mentioned, that is supplemented by a rescue dog which confirms the finding of the technical equipment and then makes you more sure that there is a live victim here. So, one of the live victims that we rescued, a six-year-old girl Baron. She was detected by our rescue dog Julie, when Julie was checking out the rubble of a huge building and reconfirmed by the other rescue dog Romeo, which is when the team decided to dig in there and we could finally get out this six-year-old girl out alive. Also I would say that this exposure has made us learn many things. We met a lot of International Teams there. We got to see how they are equipped, how are they operating, so that whatever we can learn from anybody else, we remain open to that so that we can continually improve.
Omwesh Upadhyay, AIR Correspondent:
You very rightly mentioned about how a six-year-old girl was rescued and there were several instances and incidents when you watch people and their bodies, they were buried under the building. So, is there any training or program, something about more on mental health, for the post-operation, for especially the members of the team who see such calamities of this level. I want to understand from you. Is there anything like that?
Atul Karwal, Director General, National Disaster Response Force:
Very interesting question. We have a system in place. Though, in the light of the Turkiye disaster, we are looking at how we can improve this facility for our male and female rescuers. They have seen devastation at a very large scale in this exposure to the international operations. And we are looking at doing better in counseling and stress relief for our rescuers. As of now, there are nine doctors in every Battalion and they can also be counted upon to provide counseling facilities. We've also done a recent study on how stressful do the rescuers feel after going through such an exposure to operations of cyclones, floods, where death toll is there. And there seems to be some remnant of stress in our rescuers over a period of weeks. So, we are determined to take better care, so that they get over this as quickly as possible and they emerge not just as good as they were earlier, they should come back stronger from such exposures. Because the good part is that we could not avoid this calamity but the rescues are in a position where they were providing help and relief and actually doing something very very positive. So, that should give us more strength.
Omwesh Upadhyay, AIR Correspondent:
And with your insightful inputs, we would like to conclude the conversation. Thank you so much Mr Karwal for joining us today on All India Radio.
Atul Karwal, Director General, National Disaster Response Force:
Thank you very much, Mr Upadhyay.
The interviewer was Omwesh Upadhyay, AIR Correspondent. This program was produced and presented by the News Services Division of All India Radio. You can listen to it on our mobile app News on AIR. This program is also available on our YouTube channel News on AIR Official. You may email your opinion about this program at airnsdtalks@gmail.com
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