To combat natural calamity, state holds mock drill in 8 dists

kolkata: The State department of Disaster Management & Civil Defence, along with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) successfully conducted a state-level mock exercise, a rehearsal to combat a cyclone-like natural calamity, in 8 districts namely North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, East Midnapore, West Midnapore, Howrah, Hooghly, Nadia and Jhargram.

“A mock exercise of the cyclone was staged successfully at 40 different locations in the eight districts under the supervision of the respective District Magistrates. The exercise will help in better planning, management and coordination during cyclones,” a senior official of Nabanna said.

Simultaneously chemical / industrial disaster and hospital emergency mock drills were also done in 16 staging areas in these 8 districts,” a senior official of Nabanna said.

The departments and agencies who participated in the conduct of the exercise at 40 locations include departments of Home / Agriculture / Transport / Power & Non-Conventional Energy Sources / Health & Family Welfare / Fire & Emergency Services / Public Works Department / Information & Cultural Affairs / Panchayats & Rural Development / Animal Resources Development / Urban Development &Municipal Affairs / Forest / Irrigation & Waterways / Public Health Engineering / Sunderbans Affairs / Tourism / Fisheries / Food Processing Industries and Horticulture etc. West Bengal Police / Kolkata Telephones / Coastal Securities/ Civil Defence/ Coast Guard /Army / Navy / AirForce / NDRF / CISF / CRPF / BSF / IMD / Railways / Telecommunication also took an active part.

As preparatory measures for this exercise, a coordination video conference was held on March 15 and a table-top exercise was organised by the NDMA team with State and District level officials, NDRF, Railways, Airport, Armed Forces, CISF, BSF, CRPF, IMD etc on March 21.Major Gen Sudhir Bahl (Retd), Consultant Gde II (ME & IRS), NDMA coordinated the Mock Exercise.