To check quake awareness, mock drill conducted in GB Nagar, Ghaziabad districts

G B Nagar/Ghaziabad: Both the Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad district administrations, on Friday conducted massive mock drills to take stock of city's earthquake preparedness. Officials said that the mock drill was aimed to check the response and rescue work by various functionaries at the time of natural disasters.

In Gautam Buddh Nagar District, the mock drill was conducted at GIP mall in sector 38, Antriksh society in sector 52 of Noida, Sharda hospital, Vikas Bhawan and Parichowk in Greater Noida. In Ghaziabad, the teams were dispatched from Kavi Nagar Ram Leela ground, to five places -Gaur Central Mall, GDA office, New Bus Stand Metro station, Columbia Asia Hospital and VVIP Society in Raj Nagar Extension.

Officials said that the mock drill involved over 18 departments including National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Civil Defence, police, Rapid Action Force (RAF), Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), army, air force and volunteers from NGOs.

Shailendra Kumar Mishra, city Magistrate, Noida said that the mock drill was aimed at creating an awareness and educating people about how to deal with a natural disaster.

"In the mock drill, response and rescue work were practiced while the officials were given training to prevent casualties in the advent of an earthquake. These drills were performed at public places where the chances of fatalities are high at the time of any natural calamity," said Mishra.