The rescue and relief efforts of the Indian Army is on in full swing and there is no intend to call it off till the state deems so, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Army Southern Command, Lieutenant-General D R Soni has said.
Addressing mediapersons at the Pangode camp in Thiruvananthapuram, he said the 1,500 troops mobilized from various parts of the country and from across units like infantry, medical, signals, and engineers, were on the ground; providing support to those in need.
Detailing the logistics, he said the mass mobilization saw boats even coming in from Bhopal and life-jackets from Pune. Refusing to draw a comparison on the scale of devastation, he said the situation was 'bad' even if the life of one was in danger. "Nothing is better or worse. The Army will stay put until it is all-clear,"Lt-Gen Soni said.
He said the larger work of building infrastructure should be the state's job and the Army was required to 'go back to the barracks' at some point. Striking a futuristic but cautionary note, the officer said 'we should learn our lessons and be prepared for such disasters.'
The Lieutenant General said he would also prepare a plan and as a readiness mechanism, keep 'brick-like templates' for use in case of a future eventuality. He said the brief for his men was clear - to not wait for orders. He said the troops were out on the field on the first calls and the job was being executed effectively.
As a note of reassurance, the officer said the Army was 'for the people' and it comprised men who came from the same places as the civilians.
