CHENNAI: The city would soon get its own Disaster Management Authority (DMA) to handle disasters and natural calamities.

The state revenue department has issued orders to constitute a city-specific authority comprising seven members.

According to an order issued by P Amudha, additional chief secretary of the State Revenue and Disaster Management Department, the Chennai City Urban Disaster Management Authority constituted under the Disaster Management Act 2005 would consist of seven members with the Commissioner of Greater Chennai Corporation as Chairperson (ex-officio) and Collector of Chennai District as the vice-chairperson (ex-officio) of the authority.

Commissioner of Greater Chennai City police, deputy commissioner (works) and city health officer of Greater Chennai Corporation and Chief Executive Officer of Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority and Chief Engineer of the state Water Resources Department, Chennai region would function as ex-officio members of the authority, which is considered a novel initiative of the state government to handle disasters in the state capital.