The Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) held a day-long review meeting on Nagaland Emergency Preparedness Exercise (NEPEx) at the Administrative Training Institute in Kohima on Thursday.
Organised by the Nagaland Home Department in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority, Government of India, the meeting underscored the need for Nagaland, being under zone V of earthquake-prone areas, to stay prepared to meet any kind of situation arising out of natural calamities like earthquake.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Towards this, the NSDMA (Home Department) will conduct a statewide mega mock drill of NEPEx on April 26 to test the capability of the State government to respond to and manage disaster. The drill will be conducted in collaboration with the NDMA.
Nagaland Home Commissioner Abhishek Singh, in his keynote address at the meeting, said the only way to prevent and reduce the loss of life and property in the event of an earthquake or any other natural calamity is to conduct mock drills and impart basic awareness to everyone.
He said the media is the best medium to ensure the objectives of the exercise is carried out to the best possible extent. He, therefore, requested the private media houses and the IPR Department to spread this message.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Stating that disaster management should not be confined to the departments and offices alone, Singh said it must be made available on websites and it should be in easily accessible form for everyone.
Short videos on prevention of earthquakes, fire, flood, etc. should be created and shared on channels like Youtube and WhastApp, he stated.
Joint advisor (Ops), NDMA, Dhirendra Singh Sindhu said the main objective of the mega mock exercise is to test the adequacy and efficacy of the emergency response plans of the state and districts against disasters. He highlighted the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders at the state and district level.
He added that the exercise is to enhance coordination and synergize efforts of various emergency support functions of the state and districts and to find gaps in the resources, manpower, equipment, communication and systems.
Sidhu further informed that the mock exercise will be restricted to planning and response at the state and district level with additional assistance from Central government resources.
He also stated that a multi-State mock drill exercise on earthquake disaster will be held simultaneously in all districts of Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura and Mizoram involving all stakeholders.