APELL Programme

NSC has been actively working in the field of Disaster Management since 1992 by working in collaboration with the UNEP and implementing its newly developed Awareness and Preparedness for Emergencies at Local Level (APELL) Programme across the country. Since then, this Programme has been implemented in the following stages:

1. APELL-LAMP Project in six High Risk Industrial Areas (1992-97) (collaborators: UNEP/ DTIE, USAID, World Environment Centre)
2. Trans-APELL including Demonstration Project in Trombay-Chembur-Mahul Industrial Area (2000-02)
3. Institutionalized APELL in NSC services.
4. Establishing the National APELL Centre (NAC) in NSC, Hqs, (2002-04)
5. Launching the NAC Sub-Centres at Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu (2004) in collaboration with Heavy Water Plant and at Pune (2006) in collaboration with Lokmanya Medical Foundation
6. A 2-year Project on Disaster Risk Reduction in Tourism Destination at Kanniyakumari (Oct.06-Dec.08) in collaboration with NAC Sub-centre at Tuticorin and Kanniyakumari District Administration

APELL Contribution

1. APELL Institutionalized by National Regulations in 1996 Chemical Accidents (Emergency Planning, Preparedness and Response) Rules issued under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
2. APELL Process has been recommended in the National Guidelines on Chemical (Industrial) Disaster Management issued by NDMA (see Note-1) in which NSC played a lead role in developing these Guidelines.
3. NSC developed Community Awareness Strategy on HAZMAT (Hazardous Material) which has been recommended in the NDMA Guidelines on Chemical (Industrial) Disasters.

Sharing Indian Experience on APELL at International Level in the APELL Workshops in :

1. China (Dec. 93 & Oct. 98)
2. South Africa (Oct. 99)
3. Jordan (Jul. 2000)
4. Brazil (Apr 04)
5. Sri Lanka (Jun. 06) – Specifically designed and conducted a 3-day International Workshop on Preparation of Emergency Plans for the APELL Project Officials of Sri Lanka (7-9 March 2007 at NSCI, Hqs.)

Setting up of Disaster Management Division in NSC

Developed and sustained NSC services for industry on Chemical Safety & Emergency Management based on APELL.

Based on the experiences gained in the APELL Programme and the services provided, NSC has set up a separate Disaster Management Division in 2006. The activities of the Division include:

1. Review/Prepare Disaster Management Plans for Industrial Units, Projects, Corporate Officers/Buildings and Industrial areas.
2. Organise and conduct national level workshops on various themes of Disaster Management
3. Conducting need-based trainings programmes on Disaster Management in industrial units, schools, etc.:
4. Provide follow-up services on emergency planning and preparedness including observers.