As soon as chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis learnt that several students from Maharashtra had been stranded in Manipur which was engulfed in violent clashes, they contacted Manipur CM N. Biren Singh and Assam CM Hemant Biswa Sarma. Wheels of the government move slow, it is always said. However, this occasion proved to be an exception. After Shinde and Fadnavis had prepared an elaborate rescue plan, the students were brought from Imphal in Manipur to Guwahati in Assam by a special flight. Later, that night, the students arrived in Mumbai by a special plane.
The protocol department of the Maharashtra government was in action. Its joint secretary Ramchandra Dhanawade, his colleague Abdul Aziz Baig and their team welcomed the students and enquired after their well-being. The relieved students profusely thanked the state government for their safe return without any complications and in such a short time. Several students from Maharashtra study in different institutions based in Manipur. They were caught off guard when violence broke out all of a sudden. Shinde reassured them of all help when he contacted two of the students, Tushar Awhad and Vikas Sharma over the phone.
At the administrative level, state chief secretary Manoj Saunik got in touch with the chief secretary and director general of police of Manipur. He requested them to take care of the students. Soon afterwards, help of the local administration rushed in. The harried students were first shifted to a safe place. They were told about the plans to take them back to Maharashtra via Guwahati in a special plane. The students bravely cooperated and finally, returned safely.
The clashes in Manipur began on 3 May after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The evacuated students witnessed the clashes. One of them, Ashwagandha Parade, recalled how she could hear the bomb explosions and gunshots. She said the students were safe because of the special efforts taken by Manipur CM N Biren Singh’s administration, which promptly provided all possible assistance and also cancelled the exams. The situation in Manipur was scary. Communication was difficult as the internet was shut.
While Maharashtrian students are now cosily ensconced in their homes, those from Manipur and studying in the state have to face the situation from the reverse side. Unable to return to their homes, they need to extend their stay in Maharashtra. Whereas some can continue to remain in their hostel accommodation, others are also exploring at different possibilities like taking shelter with friends or relatives. The government of Manipur is seized of the law and order problem and so far has not been able to handle this facet of the situation. It is felt that the Maharashtra government can go ahead an extra mile to support them.
The problem is aggravated for the students from Manipur since the summer break is imminent. Hostel accommodations during the long vacation are generally not available as repairs and maintenance works are carried out when students are away. Those students who were planning to return to Manipur are also stranded since air and train services remain affected. In the time available, they are unable to concentrate on their studies, always anxious to learn the latest situations in their homes. Nonetheless, trying to help each other in Maharashtra, some groups are working to raise money to use as emergency assistance, for those stranded in Manipur as well as in Maharashtra. There are North Eastern Students’ Forums in Mumbai and Pune. They have come forward to connect the affected.
It has been seen over the years that disaster management in Maharashtra is quite efficient. It took shape after the Latur-Killar earthquake in 1993 that killed thousands and destroyed numerous houses. Then relief and rehabilitation secretary Johnny Joseph rose to the occasion to build a safer, holistic, proactive and technology-driven strategy in which were built a timely-dynamic response and speedy recovery regime. The State Disaster Management Authority in Maharashtra makes it sure that a slew of measures are in place.
To guide the stakeholders, government and private, to take appropriate measures for the ‘pre-disaster’, ‘during-disaster’, and ‘post-disaster’ phases in an integrated manner.
• A well-structured command control and communication regime.
• Achieve methods of effectiveness with a definite structure and response mechanism.
• Incident Response System.
A cursory glance at the recently launched ‘Operation Kaveri’ to bring back stranded citizens from the conflict-ridden Sudan can underscore the importance of a disaster management plan, which can enable the government to swing into instant action as and when a calamity strikes. The Indian Air Force , which handled one of the highly laborious and dangerous operations, safely brought back 3862 Indians out of Sudan.
The Indian effort was supported by several countries to evacuate these citizens. From Jeddah, air force and commercial flights brought people home. Saudi Arabia hosted them and facilitated the process. Support also was extended by Chad, Egypt, France, South Sudan, UAE, UK, USA and the UN. This highlights India’s growing importance on the world map. The Indian Air Force operated 17 flights from Sudan while five Indian Navy ships were also involved in the evacuation process.
The Indian embassy in Khartoum showed exceptional dedication in this difficult time. Efforts by TeamIndia stationed in Saudi Arabia and the Rapid Response Cell coordinating in India were seamless.
Disasters can come in any form at any time. A state has to remain prepared round the clock, especially sensitive law and order problems which have other angles. While the average citizen does not hesitate to criticise the government at every single opportunity, there are rare occasions when it deserves all praise. The timely rescue of the students from Manipur or Indians from Sudan need to be considered a feather in the cap of the respective governments.
