RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Aug. 27: UNICEF with the support of NSS Jharkhand, NUSRL and Center for Child Rights (CCR) today organized an online training session for the NSS volunteers of private colleges & universities of Jharkhand.
Approx 300 NSS volunteers of seven universities including Jharkhand Rai University, Sarla Birla University, Birsa Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Central University of Jharkhand, Netaji Subhas University, Jamshedpur, Arka Jain University, Jamshedpur, and NIT Jamshedpur, participated in the training session.
Associate professor of NUSRL and chairperson of CCR, K Shyamla, gave the introductory remark. She briefed participants about the need and importance of organizing the session on disaster risk reduction.
She thanked UNICEF and NSS Jharkhand for the collaboration with NUSRL and CCR to train the NSS volunteers on this issue. “We are facing so much rain, floods & lightning strikes these days and the reason behind this is climate change. We all know climate change is man-made and only through creating awareness about environment conservation we save lives and make this earth livable,” she said.
UNICEF communication, advocacy and partnership officer, Astha Alang, stressed creating awareness on disaster and how to handle it.
“Knowing how to get protection from lightning, thunderstorm and flood is very important to save lives. Many people lose their lives because they don’t know how to respond during the crisis. After getting the training session on this issue today, NSS volunteers will visit in their locality and society to brief people how to get safety during the disaster. I hope this initiative taken by UNICEF, NSS Jharkhand, NUSRL and CCR will create awareness about the disaster risk and how to face the situation during the critical time,” she said.
Chairman of Climate Resilient Observing Systems Promotion Council Col. Sanjay Srivastava and Inspector of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), 9th Battalion, Patna, Nitesh Kumar, provided the training to the volunteers as resource person.
Providing training to the volunteers on how to save lives during the lightning strikes, Col. Sanjay Srivastava said: “Global warming, deforestation, pollution, environmental degradation & depletion of water bodies is the main cause of increasing lightning strike incidents these days. Jharkhand loses many lives every year because of a lack of awareness on how to save lives during the lightning.”
He advised downloading the “Damini App” to get timely information about lightning strikes. Similarly he suggested not take shelter under a tree and keep away from pond, river and hilly areas during the lightning. He also suggested not touching metals during the lightning and installing a lightning arrester to get protection & safety. He further said that concrete houses and cars are safe to take shelter during the lightning strike.
NDRF inspector Kumar provided training on how to protect during the flood crisis. He gave many tips to the volunteers through which they would not only save their own life but help others too during the crisis situation. He urged volunteers to create awareness about the training they received today, so that the life risks could be reduced during the crisis.
State Nodal Officer, NSS (Jharkhand) Brajesh Kumar, thanked the UNICEF, NUSRL and CCR for organizing training for the NSS volunteers. He assured that NSS volunteers will take out this knowledge and understanding which they learnt here today to the society and train people how to face the challenges during the disaster and save themselves and others too.
