Lok Sabha Question No. 6093 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-04-11
Subject: Threat from Biological Weapons
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: FEROZE VARUN GANDHI, NAGARAJAN P., SHIVKUMAR CHANABASAPPA UDASI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6093

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 11 th  APRIL, 2017/CHAITRA 21, 1939 (SAKA)

THREAT FROM BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS

6093.

SHRI FEROZE VARUN GANDHI:

SHRI P. NAGARAJAN:

SHRI SHIVKUMAR UDASI:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has undertaken a review of the threats posed by biological weapons in the hands of international terrorist organisations;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  any  action  plan  has  been  prepared/contemplated  by  National Disaster Management Authority, in consultation with the State Governments, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and other entities to tackle any situation of biological attacks in the country;
- (d)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  including  any  strategy  to  provide  medical treatment to large number of people in the said situation;
- (e)  whether  the  Government has sought international co-operation on the said issue and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) whether it is true that the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has decided  to  put  in  place  a  team  round  the  clock  to  deal  with  radioactive leaks  and  chemical  attacks  in  Delhi  IGI  Airport  and  if  so,  the  details thereof?

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU )

(a) to (d) Madam,  at  present  no specific inputs regarding threat of biological attack is available with the Ministry of Home Affairs. However, the Government is alive to the possibility of biological attacks by terrorists. In  order  to  effectively  respond  to  any  such  crises  or  disasters,  Standard Operating  Procedures  have  been  formulated.  In  addition,  the  National Disaster   Management   Authority   (NDMA)  has   published    guidelines  on

## LS.US.Q.No.6093 FOR 11.04.2017

biological disasters including bio warfare and bio terrorism. The guidelines have  identified  the  bio  warfare  /  bio  terrorism  agents,  characteristics  of these agents, epidemiological clues to identify outbreak of disease caused by them, laboratory identification and their management including prevention  and  treatment.  Twelve  Battalions  of  the  National  Disaster Response  Force  (NDRF)  have  also  been  specifically  trained  to  deal  with such crises.

Ministry  of  Health  and  Family  Welfare  has  an  Integrated  Disease Surveillance Programme to detect outbreak of diseases, decipher epidemiological clues to determine on the characteristics of intentional use of  biological  agents  and  to  advise  the  State  governments  on  the  public health measures that needs to be instituted. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare  (MOHFW)  has  also  a  Crisis  Management  Plan  for  Biological Disasters  which  is  activated  for  such  disasters  requiring  intervention  at national level.

(e) We  have  signed  Agreement/MoU/JDI  on  cooperation  in  the  field  of Disaster  Management  with  Russia,  Switzerland,  Indonesia,  Germany  and SAARC member States.

(f) One  sub  team  of  NDRF  is  placed  at  Public  Transport  Centre,  IGI Airport, New Delhi w.e.f. 01 st  March, 2017, with a view to timely response to any disaster situation in and around IGI, Airport, New Delhi.

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