In a first, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has given disaster management training to Haj-bound pilgrims in the country. Civic officials trained Haj instructors about how to deal with various calamities.
According to the civic officials, Ata-Ur Rehman, the chief executive officer of Haj Committee of India (HCI), which organises Haj tours, had approached BMC chief Ajoy Mehta requesting him to give disaster management training to Haj pilgrims. Accordingly, officials of the BMC’s disaster management cell imparted training to 482 instructors from 31 states across the country.
Every year about 1.70 lakh pilgrims from India go for the pilgrimage. However, it has been marred with disasters, especially stampedes, in recent years. More than 2,200 pilgrims were killed during a stampede on September 14 last year.
Before going to the pilgrimage, the Haj pilgrims are trained by the HCI at its headquarters ‘Haj House.’ This year for the first time disaster management training was included in their training.
The 482 instructors, who were trained, will later train the pilgrims in their respective states before going to pilgrimage.
The training camp was organised at the Haj House by Khalid Arab, the deputy CEO of HCI, whereas the training was given by BMC disaster cell officials Rajendra Lokhande and Pravin Brahmadande.
“Looking at the good response received for the first training camp, we are planning to hold another BMC’s two-day special disaster management training for all the instructors in the country. The first batch of Haj pilgrims will leave for Mecca in August,” said Mr Arab.
