Wednesday, 12 February 2025 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) conducted a table-top exercise on Tuesday in preparation for a mock drill on forest fire control scheduled for February 13. The exercise aimed to assess the preparedness of various departments and agencies in responding to forest fires in Uttarakhand. Attending a meeting in a virtual mode, the member, NDMA, lieutenant general (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain emphasised the importance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 10-point agenda for disaster risk reduction.
He stated that working on these 10 points can lead to commendable work in disaster management. Hasnain also commended the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) for using the latest technology in controlling forest fire. He informed that the mock drill will be conducted in six districts of Uttarakhand- Almora, Champawat, Pauri, Tehri, Uttarkashi and Dehradun. The exercise will test the coordination between various departments, the use of resources and the application of technology in responding to forest fires. The senior consultant of the NDMA, commandant (retd) Aditya Kumar, also talked about the importance of the Incident Response System (IRS) in disaster management. He stated that the IRS provides a framework for responding to disasters and that district magistrates play a crucial role in implementing the IRS at the district level. Kumar stated that the use of technology, such as GIS and DSS, can enhance disaster management efforts.
The secretary of Disaster Management and Rehabilitation, Uttarakhand, Vinod Kumar Suman stated that the mock drill is scheduled to be held on Thursday and will focus on community participation. He stated that community participation is crucial in responding to disasters and that the mock drill aims to ensure that communities are prepared to respond to forest fires. The additional chief conservator of Forest department Nishant Verma stated that they have made all preparations for the mock drill. He informed that the department has developed an app for reporting forest fires. The app allows users to upload photos of forest fires, which are then communicated to the department for immediate action, he added.
