Ahmedabad

NDRF teams that are conducting rescue operations in flood-hit areas of north Gujarat face unique problem of Prosopis juliflora or Gando baval trees. It is because this tree is everywhere located parallel to highways in north Gujarat and its thorns has potential to puncture the rescue boats.

The NDRF had to be extra cautious due to this while conducting rescue operation at flood-affected Zerda village in north Gujarat.

Prosopis julifora, or Gando Baval as it is commonly known in Gujarat, is in a sense ‘gando’ (mad). It spreads over ground at an extremely rapid rate and requires no special environment.

One issue that has been observed by NDRF team on the ground during its rescue mission in north Gujarat is that the force needs to have specialized vehicles meant for flood rescue. At present the NDRF uses tractors or trucks during rescue operations, but both don’t work sometime when flow of flooding water is in force. If there are specialized vehicles made for such rescue mission, with tall wheels and engine placed at some height, that can be helpful to great extent, because when flood situation is severe, helicopters hardly can rush to the affected areas due to rain, poor visibility and sometimes strong winds.

NDRF teams conventionally use tractor, ropes, life jackets and rescue boats to run their operation.

– DeshGujarat