Jowai, Oct 18: Civil Defence and Home Guards Minister Brenning A Sangma on Friday said trained volunteers are often the first to respond during disasters, and their timely action within the “golden window” can save lives.
He was speaking as Chief Guest at the inauguration of the newly constructed Civil Defence and Home Guards district office at Hali Synna, Jowai, West Jaintia Hills.
Sangma said the department plays an indispensable role in Meghalaya’s disaster preparedness and response system and has trained thousands of volunteers in search and rescue, first aid, disaster management and community awareness to build resilient communities.
Dedicating the new office to the people, he said the event symbolises the government’s commitment to strengthening institutions that protect citizens in times of crisis. He noted that the department had been operating from a rented building at Dong Mihsngi, Ladthalaboh, until now.
Highlighting recent milestones, the Minister said the department completed recruitment for 445 posts and held its first-ever Rozgar Mela on August 20, 2025, where appointment letters were issued to successful candidates. He added that the government has approved the subsumption of 708 permanent posts from the Border Wing Home Guards Battalion into two State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) battalions, significantly boosting disaster response capacity.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Wailadmiki Shylla, who attended as Guest of Honour, spoke about facilitating the road construction to the new site as the local representative. He praised the department’s volunteer training efforts and called for more such programmes across Jaintia Hills and the state.
Earlier, Sangma was accorded a Guard of Honour before cutting the ribbon and unveiling the inaugural plaque to formally open the district Civil Defence and Home Guards offices.
Also speaking at the event were M.K. Sangma, Director of Civil Defence, and R.P. Khongwar, Joint Commandant General of Home Guards. The programme was attended by officials of the Civil Defence and Home Guards, district authorities, village leaders and representatives of various departments.
The event featured performances by the Brass Band of the Border Wing Home Guards Battalion and the Pipe Band of the Central Training Institute, Civil Defence and Home Guards, Shillong.
