With the onset of the monsoon season in Uttarakhand, the state government has begun finalizing its disaster management preparations. As part of this initiative, a state-level monsoon mock drill was conducted on Thursday across all 13 districts, personally monitored by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
During the mock drill, relief and rescue operations were practiced by simulating scenarios involving potential disasters such as floods, cloudbursts, heavy rainfall, landslides, and road blockages. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami monitored the entire exercise from the State Disaster Operations Centre and issued necessary directives to the officials.
The state government recognizes Uttarakhand as a geographically sensitive state where the risk of natural disasters persists throughout the monsoon season. Incidents of landslides, cloudbursts, and road disruptions are common in mountainous regions, while the plains face issues like flooding and waterlogging. Consequently, this mock drill was organized to foster better coordination among various departments and agencies during disaster situations.
Teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Police, Health Department, Fire Services, Public Works Department, Electricity Department, Irrigation Department, and the district administration participated jointly in the drill. Various disaster scenarios were simulated across different districts, involving activities such as rescuing stranded individuals, administering first aid to the injured, setting up relief camps, and maintaining seamless communication systems.
While reviewing the mock drill, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami emphasized that response time is the most critical factor during a disaster. He instructed officials to ensure that relief and rescue operations commence immediately during any emergency and that assistance reaches the affected people in the shortest possible time.
