HYDERABAD: Hyderabad will host the first World Congress on Disaster Management (WCDM-2008) from October 21 to 24 organised by the Disaster Management, Infrastructure and Control Society (DMICS). The Andhra Pradesh government and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) are the co-hosts. The venue is the National Academy of Construction here. Former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam will inaugurate the congress, which will be attended by 500 delegates from 50 countries. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy will deliver the presidential address. Vice-Chairman of NDMA N.C. Vij will deliver the keynote address, while Lt-Gen J.R. Bhardwaj, NDMA member, will be the guest of honour. Union Minster for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal will attend the valedictory function. Briefing reporters here on Sunday, chairman of the steering committee of the congress and DRDO Chief Controller (R&D) Prahlada said it would provide a common platform to discuss/plan disaster preventive measures and to disseminate information to a wide section of society. He said the congress was aimed at sharing of global knowledge on advancing technologies in the mitigation methodologies and control systems of disasters. Its themes included water and climate-related, geological, chemical, environmental, industrial, nuclear, biological, health, accident and terror-related disasters. Of late disasters, such as earthquakes, tsunami, cyclones, floods, landslips, droughts, have been occurring at alarming frequencies. Global reaction to such high-intensity disasters emphasised the need for concerted/coordinated policies/plans. A holistic approach was required to focus on disaster management for the benefit of mankind, Dr. Prahlada said. Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Vice-Chancellor D. N. Reddy said it planned to introduce specialised disaster management courses. Former Justices P. Ramakrishnam Raju and V. Bhaskara Rao and convener S.Ananda Babu spoke. YSR holds review meet Meanwhile, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy has said that an effective management of water resources, created by abundant rainfall and a fool-proof system of disaster management in Andhra Pradesh had resulted in successfully driving away droughts in the last 4 years. Dr. Reddy said the State had emerged as a role-model State for its disaster management system to prevent human loss and contain suffering of poor living in low lying areas and in coastal belt.