Mock drill in 7 quake-prone districts

Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 24

A mega mock drill to meet any eventuality in the wake of calamity like earthquake and raise the level of preparedness was held simultaneously in the headquarters of seven districts today.

The mega exercise was conducted in Shimla, Solan, Mandi, Kullu, Kinnaur, Chamba and Kangra falling in seismic zones IV and V to find out strength and gaps in preparedness and mitigation.

The State Disaster Management Authority, the Army, ITBP, NDRF, SSB, Police, Civil Defence, Home Guards, Fire Brigade, Deputy Commissioners, Red Cross and line departments, including Revenue, Irrigation and Public Health, Education, Irrigation and PWD, state power board and BSNL, participated in the mock drill.

Briefing mediapersons about the mock drill, Chief Secretary VC Pharka said the basic objective of the exercise was to gauge the level of preparedness in the wake of earthquake of 8 degree magnitude.

The exercise was held with six vulnerable spots in each district headquarters and different types of situations were created to test the disaster management preparedness.

Additional Chief Secretary and head of the disaster management Tarun Sridhar said the mock drill was organised as the major area of the state was in the seismic zone and 25 per cent area fell under seismic zone V.

Some gaps in communication came to light and the efforts would be made to remove these after proper assessment and the Army had suggested strengthening of trauma centre and mortuary, first-aid training and wireless network at the ground level.

The Army also pointed out that there were gaps in coordination at grassroot level which needed to be bridged. Sridhar said the relief and rescue operations were conducted presuming 582 casualties and 1,731 injuries.

In Shimla, mock drill was conducted at six places as per the international parameters of disaster management through multi-agency coordination.