Khandu, Rijiju inaugurate SSB rescue teams

TAWANG, Jul 29: Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Saturday inaugurated the Rescue and Relief Team (RRT) of Bomdila-headquartered Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) at the force’s 38th Battalion campus in Tawang. 

The day also saw Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju inaugurate the first such team of SSB in Assam capital Guwahati. The team for Assam was raised from SSB’s existing workforce across its 18 sectors in the state, equipped to provide immediate succour to the local people during calamities.

In his address to the armed forces personnel and students, the chief minister thanked the Ministry of Home Affairs, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Rijiju for launching the RRT countrywide, a CMO report said.

He said MHA has seriously taken the issue of the recurring disasters in the country and the need to handle relief and rescue operations professionally by trained personnel. He lauded the services of the Army and paramilitary forces, especially the NDRF, during calamities such as the Laptap landslide that claimed 14 lives.

Khandu appreciated the SSB for its service not only in guarding the international border but also contributing to local developmental and welfare activities. “Its effect can be seen in Tawang, where SSB and local people share a special bond that has grown out of a very old relation,” he said, assuring the forces of his government’s support.

Earlier, RRT team and members from Dirang-based NIMAS carried our rescue drills while fire service personnel displayed fire-fighting measures after DIG SHQ (Bomdila) Sudhir Kumar delivered the welcome address.

Sonam Yudron, DIG of Tezpur-based Frontier HQ called on the SSB to play a greater role in the development of the frontier state.

The inaugural ceremony concluded with a tree plantation programme inside the SSB campus. Tawang MLA Tsering Tashi, Tawang Zilla Parishad Chairperson Jambey Tsering, Tawang DC Dr Sonal Swaroop, 190 Mountain Brigade Commander MP Singh and others attended the programme, the report added.

At a similar programme in Guwahati, Rijiju said: “Besides providing succour to the people, the SSB team would also provide help and facilities to the other stakeholders and sister organisations to work jointly to overcome the calamity.”

He appreciated SSB for helping local administrations and people during natural calamities and accidents and said RRTs should be raised elsewhere in the country as first responders within minutes of any disaster.

The MHA, Rijiju assured, would accept SSB director general Archana Ramasundaram's proposal for a national level SSB training school at Salonibari in Sonitpur district of Assam.

The Union minister reminded of his tour of flood-hit areas of Assam on the instructions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during which he saw police, SDRF and all central forces speedily reacting to the crisis.

“The BJP government's response and rescue operations were better than that of the previous Congress government in Assam,” he said.

SSB personnel provide service during natural or man-made disasters besides guarding the India-Bhutan and India-Nepal borders, Jammu and Kashmir frontiers and fighting naxalites in Central India. (With PTI inputs)