The state control room has already been equipped with a video wall connected with the Home department
Maharashtra government has undertaken a massive modernisation of disaster management control rooms at Mantralaya and in all the 36 districts with the deployment of equipment of global standards.
The government will soon float tenders for the procurement of new equipment, which will include state-of-the-art laptops that will be shock and water proof, heavy duty photo copiers, fax machines, EPBX systems, video conferencing facility, VOIP phones and Ham radio sets.
The state control room has already been equipped with a video wall connected with the Home department.
State additional chief secretary (relief and rehabilitation) Medha Gadgil told DNA, "Tenders will be issued soon for the procurement of the equipment, which will help improve communication and response time. The modernisation is expected to be complete by this fiscal year-end."
Shreedutt Kamat, State Project Officer said the state and district EOCs will be equipped with modern equipment as per the guidelines issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). "Currently, the EOCs are connected through communication systems like phones, fax and internet. However, the use of Ham sets will give us an edge, especially when all other communication systems fail. The Ham radio sets will work regardless of weather conditions and will ensure two-way communication between the state EOC and the functionaries on the ground,'' he said.
The state disaster management unit is also set to launch a website and various apps to ensure communication through mobile phones. "One app will allow for distress calls to be made by the citizens affected by a disaster, which can be responded to quickly by the personnel on the ground,'' he said.
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