Shimla: Director and Special Secretary, State Disaster Management D.C. Rana chaired a meeting through video conference regarding the eighth mock drill to be organised on June 14, 2024 in all the districts of the state. The representatives of various departments and Deputy Commissioners of all the districts attended the meeting.
It was decided that a table top exercise would be conducted by the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) on June 12 in all the districts to evaluate the preparations made at the ground level in case of any disaster. The mock drill aims at dealing with floods, landslides, avalanches besides industrial disaster, with specific focus on evacuation from the buildings during disasters.
D.C Rana said that the main objective of the mock drill was to reduce loss to life and property and to establish coordination among representatives of all departments, National Disaster Management Authority, Central Armed Forces, Police, and Home Guards etc. to deal with the disaster.
The relief camps should not be set up in educational institutions during the mock drill so that educational activities are not affected, he said adding that the people residing in the along the river banks, lakes and glaciers should be informed about the preparations being made for the mock drill well in advance to avoid any fear amongst them. He also emphasized that an action plan should be prepared by establishing coordination with NGOs for the mock drill and directed to identify highly sensitive places in industrial areas where early warning system should be put in place.
He said that there would be three-tier coordination between the central Government and state government and district administration during this mock drill. Retired Major General Sudhir Behal, who is specially heading the National Disaster Management Authority, gave detailed information about the special plan to deal with the disaster.
