The Crucial Expertise of CAPF

Context: The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) play an important role in carrying out rescue and relief operations, and mitigating the problems arising out of natural or man-made disasters. 

Constituents of CAPF:

• Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
• Border Security Force (BSF)
• Central Industrial Security Forces (CISF)
• Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)
• Assam Ri?es
• The Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP)
• National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) – has a core competency in tackling biological disasters like COVID-19; has 12 battalions with 1,149 personnel recruited from CAPFs.

Achievements of the CAPF during COVID-19 

• Pro-active Actions by ITBP: At the onset of COVID-19 in India, the ITBP had already set up its 600­bed quarantine centre in Chawla on the out­ skirts of New Delhi. 
• ITBP established a 600-bed quarantine centre in just two days!
• A 10,000-bed quarantine Centre was established at Chattarpur in New Delhi by the ITBP – being the largest quarantine centre in the world.
• The expertise acquired and the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was used to prepare states with their own quarantine centres.
• NDRF rendering its yeoman’s service: not only in carrying out rescue and relief operations but also in training the State Disaster Response Forces personnel in all States.  

Way Forward:

• Augment the strength of personnel:  
• Utilise the expert personnel: who have completed their stint in the NDRF previously for COVID-19 relief operations.
• Conducting bridge courses: For, E.g. NITI Aayog has proposed a bridge course for dentists to render them eligible for MBBS degree, in order to utilise them in an emergency.

Conclusion: The multifarious experience of security forces has helped greatly in combating COVID­19.