Training on disasters, industrial accident preparedness begins at Nauni university
In a bid to strengthen institutional preparedness and enhance inter-sectoral coordination for effective accident preparedness and risk mitigation a three-day training programme on Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Disasters and Industrial Accident Preparedness and Risk Management commenced today at Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni.
Policymakers and subject experts who will train representatives from various line departments converged for the programme which is organised by the university’s Department of Environmental Science of the university in collaboration with the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Solan.
Addressing the participants, Manmohan Sharma, Deputy Commissioner Solan-cum-Chairman, DDMA, noted that with increasing development has increased the frequency and complexity of disasters. Emphasising the changing approach to disaster management, he said that the focus has gradually shifted from disaster relief to disaster mitigation and prevention.
Citing examples from past disasters and the lessons learnt from them, he said the district disaster management plan was regularly updated to incorporate new learnings and emerging challenges. Referring to international preparedness measures, he highlighted how countries like Singapore had built bunkers in residential areas to safeguard citizens in the event of nuclear or chemical disasters.
Rahul Jain, Additional Deputy Commissioner-cum-Chief Executive Officer of DDMA, said since Solan district had a significant industrial belt it was imperative to enhance the capacity of departments to effectively respond to potential industrial accidents and CBRN emergencies.
While emphasising the importance of capacity-building in disaster management, Dr C L Thakur, Dean, College of Forestry, observed that such training programmes enhance the ability of institutions to respond effectively during emergencies. “Involving multiple departments would help participants understand both their individual and collective roles during disaster situations, thereby reducing risks and improving coordinated response”
Earlier, Dr S K Bhardwaj, Head, Department of Environmental Science, said the department had recently organised a workshop where experts from different fields deliberated on strengthening mitigation and preparedness measures across sectors to deal with future disasters. He added that the recommendations from the workshop had been incorporated into the present training programme to further improve preparedness among participants.
During the technical sessions on the first day, Rahul Jain presented an overview of CBRN disasters in Himachal Pradesh, while Dr Pratima Vaidya delivered a lecture on environmental monitoring and post-incident management in CBRN disasters. Retired IAS officer D D Sharma addressed the participants on the Incident Command System, detection, monitoring and sampling procedures, as well as the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), including safety protocols, donning and doffing procedures. Dr Ravindra Khaiwal from PGIMER Chandigarh delivered a presentation on medical first response and decontamination strategies in CBRN disasters, along with industrial accident preparedness.
