Pune, September 24:

Disaster management centres set up by India’s armed forces in all metros and other cities can be operationalised within 30 minutes for large-scale rescue operations, a senior military officer has said. “We are ready to launch rescue operations in any part of the country within half an hour of any natural or man-made tragedy striking anywhere in India,” Surgeon Vice Admiral Vijay K Singh, director general of the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS), said.

“Standard operating orders have already been issued for this,” said Singh, the most decorated

AFMS officer and a consultant to the International Cochlear Research Centre at Melbourne, Australia.

“Our armed forces and medical teams at all metros and other cities attached to the disaster management centres are kept ready and on a high alert, with columns of vehicles and ambulances ready to respond to an emergency call to save the people from any tragedy,” Singh said on the sidelines of the National ENT Update 2005 held at the Armed Forces Medical College here. Singh noted that during the December 26, 2004, tsunami, a total of 35 warships and five hospital ships were deployed to aid victims in coastal areas from Mumbai to Port Blair within two hours of the disaster striking the Indian coastline. World leaders also praised the role of the Indian armed forces in rescue operations.