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:
- Headquarters service
- Communication service
- Warden service
- Casualty service
- Firefighting service
- Training service
- Rescue service
- Depot and transport service
- Supply service
- Salvage service
- Welfare service
- 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.