CIVIL DEFENCE

CIVIL DEFENCE

The concept of Civil Defence owes its origin in India to erstwhile Armed Reserve Police Organisation raised and operated during World War II (1939-45) to safeguard the life and property of the civilian population and also to maintain the continuity of productive and economic activity of the nation during war time crisis. The Civil Defence concept once again got thrust immediately after Sino-Indian conflict during October, 1962. The post of DGCD was created and first DGCD was appointed on November 14, 1962. Civil Defence aims at saving life, minimising damage to the property and maintaining continuity of industrial production in the event of an hostile attack. The Civil Defence Policy of the Government of India till the declaration of emergency in 1962, was confined to making the States and Union Territories conscious of the need of civil protection measures and to ask to them to keep ready civil protection paper plans for major cities and towns under the then Emergency Relief Organisation (ERO) scheme. The Civil Defence Policy as it exists today, was evolved and Civil Defence legislation was enacted in the Parliament in 1968. Its emblem depicts a green coloured orange and blue symbol of protection of civilians inscribed ‘Civil Defence’ in English and Devanagari, atop which is the coveted Ashoka Lion Capital. Beneath, in a white banner, is emblazoned the motto of this force ‘सर्व भूत हिते रतः’ meaning ‘Wellness for All’.