NDMA holds workshop on CAP-based Integrated Alert System
Aug 31, 2022
New Delhi [India], August 31 : The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) organised a one-day workshop on ''Common Alerting Protocol (CAP)-based Integrated Alert System'' on Wednesday at Hotel Ashoka in New Delhi.
NDMA organised this workshop in association with other concerned departments and various disaster management agencies.
"The workshop was largely focused on creating awareness about the utility of state-of-the-art indigenously designed and developed geo-intelligent Common Alerting Protocol (CAP)- compliant integrated alert system for location-based public alerting. This would pose as a powerful alert system since it is designed to precisely identify the alerting area and communicate quickly and easily through multiple communications media, using a universally readable format," the authority said in a statement.
Addressing the event, Kamal Kishore, Member and Secretary, NDMA said, "CAP-based integrated alert system is a step towards providing timely, efficient, actionable and people-centric early warning which will cater to the needs of 1.3 billion people, in this endeavour, we need to succeed truly, since not succeeding is not a choice when it comes to saving lives."
K Rajaraman, Chairman, Digital Communications Commission (DCC) and Secretary (Telecom), DOT, emphasised the multi-modal approach of the platform that targets a multi-hazard landscape enables multi-stakeholder collaboration and alerts the public using multiple technologies.
He remarked, "Saving lives is a fundamental responsibility and there should not be any remote region in the country where there is an absence of alert mechanism".
In her inaugural address, BV Umadevi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, said, "This significant initiative of NDMA is in pursuance of the Prime Minister's 10-point Agenda on Disaster Risk Reduction wherein leveraging technology and opportunities provided by social media and mobile technologies to enhance the efficiency of disaster risk management efforts are mentioned.
This is a truly Make in India project that has given India a place in a selective league of countries that have such state-of-the-art alert systems." She further added that, 'the system will significantly reduce the time taken for alerting citizens and the first responders for any impending disasters".
"After a successful Pilot Project implemented in Tamil Nadu, Pan India implementation of Phase I of the CAP Project has been sanctioned by the Government of India. With the total outlay of Rs 355 Crore, the Project is conceived by NDMA and is being implemented by C-DOT, the R&D centre of the Department of Telecommunications and will be completed by Feb 2023," the authority informed.
"This Integrated Alerting System is designed to bring together five different Alert Generation Agencies (IMD, CWC, INCOIS, DGRE and FSI), Alert Authorizing Agencies (All SDMAs 36 of States/UTs) and Alert Disseminating Agencies (Telecom Service Providers, GAGAN, NavIC, Indian Railways, Television, Radio, Coastal Sirens, etc) to a unified platform for enabling better coordination among all stakeholders," the statement further read.
The workshop was attended by officers from various departments of the government of India and participants from about thirty States and Union Territories Relief Commissioners and SDMA Officers.
