Chandigarh Administration Successfully Conducts Mock Earthquake Exercise in Collaboration with National Disaster Management Authority
Chandigarh,22nd February,2024.In a significant stride towards disaster preparedness, the Chandigarh Administration, in partnership with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, conducted a comprehensive Mock Exercise on Earthquake today across five key locations in Chandigarh.
The exercise, aimed at enhancing the city’s readiness to handle seismic events, took place at the following sites: U.T. Secretariat (Old Building), Sector 9; Govt. Multi-Specialty Hospital, Sector 16; Post Graduate Government College, Sector 46; Govt. Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 35; and DLF City Centre Mall, Rajiv Gandhi I.T. Park.
Notably, this exercise marks a pivotal moment as it is the first of its scale since 2013-14. The Emergency Operation Centre (E.O.C.) was established at the Police Control Room, Sector 9, while the Staging Area was set up at the Home Guard Headquarters Ground, Sector 17.
Engaging all emergency services of Chandigarh, including Fire & Rescue Services, Health Department, Chandigarh Police, Public Relations, Municipal Corporation, Engineering Department, Civil Defence, and Home Guard, the exercise saw a coordinated response across all five incident sites. Additionally, a simulated chemical leakage event in the Industrial Area added complexity to the exercise, further testing the preparedness and response capabilities of the authorities.
The deployment of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for rescue operations at three sites, including the chemical leak incident, demonstrated the collaborative efforts between local and national agencies in managing crises effectively.
Following the conclusion of the Mock Exercise, a debriefing session was conducted among senior officers of the Chandigarh Administration and NDMA. The session aimed to analyze the exercise outcomes, identify areas for improvement, and reinforce strategies for enhanced preparedness and response in the event of a real disaster.
