Civil Defence activities

As per the Civil Defence Act, 1968, “civil defence” includes any measures, not amounting to actual combat, for affording protection to any person, property, place or thing in India or any part of the territory thereof against any hostile attack, whether from air, land, sea or other places, or, for depriving any such attack of the whole or part of its effect, whether such measures are taken before, during, at or after the time of such attack or any measure taken for the purpose of disaster management, before, during, at, or after any disaster.”

The West Bengal Civil Defence Organisation covers the following 12 services:

1. Headquarters service
2. Communication service
3. Warden service
4. Casualty service
5. Firefighting service
6. Training service
7. Rescue service
8. Depot and transport service
9. Supply service
10. Salvage service
11. Welfare service
12. Corpse disposal service

Civil Defence Organisation

The West Bengal Civil Defence organisation is headed by an IPS officer of Director General rank. It has four wings, Civil Defence, West Bengal Civil Emergency Force, Water Wing Civil Defence and Casualty Section. Every district has a Civil Defence Corps and the District Magistrate is also Controller of Civil Defence for the district and every Sub Divisional Officer is the Dy. Controller of Civil Defence for the sub division. For Kolkata area, there is a separate Controller of Civil Defence. For administrative purposes, Kolkata area is subdivided into three sub areas, Kolkata North, Kolkata Central and Kolkata South, each headed by a Dy. Controller of Civil Defence.

West Bengal is one of the limited number of states having a Central Civil Defence Training Institute, located at 199, N.S.C. Bose Road, Kolkata 700040.

The Water Wing of Civil Defence assists in rescue and relief operations through use of speed boats, floating aids and trained manpower and volunteers.

West Bengal Civil Emergency Force attends to any emergency and disaster with Quick Response Teams, rescue equipment, speed boats and trained manpower and volunteers.

The entire state of West Bengal has been declared as Civil Defence area. Each district has a large number of Civil Defence volunteers who work continuously in the community towards fulfilling the 12 services of Civil Defence.

Each district has at least two Civil Defence Rescue Vehicles, fully equipped with modern rescue equipment to respond immediately to any emergency.

Multi Disciplinary Centres

West Bengal Civil Defence has two Multi Disciplinary Centres, at Siliguri and Asansol.

Rescue Centres

West Bengal Civil Defence has three Rescue Centres at Mohanpur (PaschimMedinipur), Pursura (Hooghly) and Basirhat (North 24 Parganas).

Civil Defence volunteers

So far, 76,622 volunteers have been trained for Civil Defence in West Bengal. Out of them, 17,353 volunteers are engaged in active civil defence work across the various districts of West Bengal. Anyone under the age of 60, having passed Madhyamik, can become a Civil Defence volunteer by enrolling for the same and undergoing the requisite training.

Activities

Following are some of the major activities of West Bengal Civil Defence:

1. Monsoon deployment in flood prone districts
2. Ganga SagarMela deployment
3. Deployment during major festivals and celebrations
4. Deployment for emergencies and disasters
5. Mock exercises for emergencies and disasters
6. Relief, rescue and first aid
7. Disaster and emergency monitoring

Accolades

On the occasion of Republic Day, 2019, the following officers and volunteer of West Bengal Civil Defence have been awarded medals:

President’s Home Guards and Civil Defence Medal for Distinguished Service:
ShriPralay Jana Ray, Sr. Staff Officer Instructor

Home Guards and Civil Defence Medal for Meritorious Service:

1. Smt. Sarmistha Sarma Sengupta, Officer Commanding, Supply Services
2. Shri Asit Kumar Chatterjee, Sr. Staff Officer Instructor
3. ShriGopal Chandra Kunkri, Depot Superintendent
4. Shri DipankarMondal, Volunteer