NDRF deploys G20 procured HAZMAT trucks, diving teams in Ayodhya

Multiple NDRF teams trained to tackle chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear attacks, drowning incidents and disasters like earthquakes have been deployed in Ayodhya ahead of the Ram temple consecration ceremony, an official said on Friday.

National Disaster Response Force Director General (DG) Atul Karwal told PTI that the teams are undertaking continuous familiarisation exercises and conducting simulation drills in the temple town to respond to any contingency.

''Multiple NDRF teams, few HAZMAT (hazardous material) vehicles that were procured by the force during the recently concluded G20 summit in Delhi have been stationed in Ayodhya to effectively deal with any kind of disaster or trouble,'' Karwal said on the sidelines of the 19th Raising Day event of the NDRF here.

''A commanding officer of our battalion that is permanently based in Varanasi has been sent to Ayodhya and is camping there,'' he said.

The DG said the teams will continue to be stationed in Ayodhya after the January 22 consecration ceremony, till the hectic activity and rush of pilgrims in the city continues.

The consecration ceremony will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of dignitaries from the government and private sector.

The multi-tonne HAZMAT apparatus has been installed on Bharat Benz trucks by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), an aerospace and defence PSU under the Ministry of Defence, and each of these indigenously made vehicles costs about Rs 15 crore.

They are used to detect the root of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) attacks, monitor and track them and can be used to decontaminate or plug the source of such an outbreak.

The vehicle is armed with a communication setup via a dish antenna installed on its roof and GPS, has a CBRN shelter, an air filtration and conditioning unit and can hold six persons in an airtight compartment that can be sealed by a heavy metal gate.

Each of these vehicles has a night vision device and the operators inside can keep in touch with a control and command centre outside from where a rescue operation can be launched to tackle a CBRN attack.

The NDRF has four such vehicles at present and two of them have been sent to Ayodhya.

Another NDRF officer said diving teams of the force have been deployed at the Sarayu river and other water bodies in the city to tackle any drowning incidents.

The rescue teams along with their equipment and canines are in Ayodhya.

They are adept at initiating rescue operations in case of an earthquake and structure collapse and are working in coordination with other central security, intelligence agencies and state authorities.

The NDRF was raised in 2006 and it has 16 battalion bases along with 28 regional response centres (RRCs) in various states to launch rescue and relief operations in a short time.