New Delhi, July 02: With the aim of meeting any challenge posed by nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, the government is gearing up its infrastructure and getting its personnel trained in the field abroad, a senior official said today. "Thirty-four Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel have been trained in the US to handle any threat posed by nuclear, chemical and biological warfare (NCB)," home secretary N Gopalaswami said at the annual conference of the state relief commissioners here.

Four battalions of the CISF would be trained to respond to any use of Weapons of Mass Destruction against the country, Gopalaswami said. However, preparedness does not mean that there is an immediate threat, he said adding there was no need to panic.

Stating that so far the government focussed on disasters such as flood, cyclones and earthquakes, he said the emphasis was now also being laid on the NCB warfare preparedness.

Government had also sought funds from the UNDP to set up infrastructure and training manpower in disaster management. Enumerating other measures he said, "We have allowed states to keep 10 per cent of the calamity relief fund to procure equipment for disasters."

Government has already set apart four battalions from the CISF and ITBT for developing as specialist teams for response to other kinds of disasters like floods, cyclones, terrorist attacks or plane hijacks.

The government has earmarked battalions from CISF and ITBP to be converted into specialised rapid response units for disasters. National level training institutions had been identified and training of trainers was in progress.

Bureau Report