Chennai, September 11 (IANS)
The Consul General of the United States of America in Chennai, Judith Ravin has called for setting up new standards in Indo- Pacific cooperation in disaster management. She was speaking at a two-day seminar organized by the US Consulate General Chennai in association with the National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR) on September 8 and 9. The subject was “Nontraditional Security Challenges in South Asia: Improving Disaster Management Cooperation”.
Several experts in policy, public health, energy, technology, and disaster management sectors from the United States ,India, and several countries within the Indo- Pacific region attended the virtual conference.
The US Consulate General office in a statement said that a white paper will be prepared and shared with government agencies, think- tanks, academia, community-based organisations and other key stakeholders across Indo- Pacific nations.
Consul General Judith Ravin in her opening remarks said,”The United States like India provides relief and recovery to disasters not just within its borders but beyond to nations around the world. I am optimistic that learnings from this conference will set new standards on Indo- Pacific cooperation in the area of disaster preparedness and response.”
Gagan Singh Bedi IAS, Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Greater Chennai Corporation who has successfully led rescue and relief of major natural and man-made disasters in Tamil Nadu in his keynote address said,” The cities have always be prepared for disaster management as disasters are occurring very frequently across the globe. The managerial capabilities and strengths of an organization are tested during disasters. Each and every city, local body, state, and central governments should keep themselves prepared to handle disasters.”
Speaking on the occasion Ms. Ashley Johnson, Director of Energy and Environmental Affairs at the National Bureau of Asian Research said, “We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to collaborate with the U.S Consulate General in Chennai to bring together a wide-ranging network of experts and create a collective action for disaster management.” She said, “Forums like this can help identify gaps in our understanding and improve coordination across disciplines to strengthen our approach to disaster resilience.”
