Mock drills held at six locations in Gurugram to check disaster preparedness

A mock drill on rescue operations during a natural disaster took place at six different locations in the city on Friday.

Around 10am, fire brigade vehicles and ambulances rushed to Ambience Mall, Hope Apartment in Sector 15 part 2, Hero Motor Corp Limited, Vikas Sadan on the Mini Secretariat premises, Poly Clinic Sector 31 and Candor Techspace Building, Sector 21 from the Tau Devi Lal Stadium.

The entire exercise started with Amit Khatri, deputy commissioner, also the appointed officer responsible for the exercise, receiving information of an earthquake.

Going by the district national disaster plan, Khatri directed the officials concerned to meet at Tau Devi Lal Stadium, the designated spot for the district emergency operating centre (DEOC) from where the relief operation was coordinated.

The designated government agencies were given directions for timely mobilisation of resources and machinery, said officials.

An earthquake-like situation was created at the selected mock drill sites. The rescue teams, after reaching their designated spots, conducted a duck, cover and hold activity. Volunteers who participated in the drill evacuated the buildings.

As a part of the exercise, 40 people were ‘mock’ injured and 17 ‘mock’ dead. The injured were treated on the spot and rushed to a relief centre in ambulances with the assistance of the health department team.

“In the two-hour mock drill, the objective was to create better coordination among different departments at the time of a natural disaster,” said Khatri.

He added, “It was a learning exercise, which also aided in strengthening the law and order situation in the city.”

After the mock drill was over, a debriefing took place in a video conference with Keshani Anand Arora, additional chief secretary, the revenue and disaster management department, and district-level appointed officer, divisional commissioner and officials from the army, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), who were involved in the rescue operation.

Major Puneet Dhanda, who was appointed as observer for the entire activity, said that the Gurugram administration showed quick response and coordinated well with different departments.

In an official press statement released by the administration, Dhanda said giving safe passage to the rescue team to reach the affected area timely should be a priority. Due to traffic congestion, it would be difficult for the rescue teams to reach the affected spots early. Also, the affected areas have to be cordoned off.

According to him, those who earlier participated in the mock drill should primarily take the lead in the rescue exercise while other officials should provide logistics.

The mock drill took place in Faridabad too, where chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar observed the rescue exercise. It also took place in Sonipat and Jhajjar districts of Haryana. Simultaneously, it was conducted in New Delhi and adjoining districts of Uttar Pradesh, such as Gautam Budh Nagar, Ghaziabad and Meerut.

Also, a mini-centre was established in Chandigarh where the state’s chief secretary, additional principal secretary, director of health department and other senior officials of the state were present. They took constant updates of the relief work during the mock drill.