By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 8: A state-level mock exercise will be conducted simultaneously in all districts of the state on October 12. The programme will be organised by the Meghalaya State Disaster Management Authority.
According to a statement issued here by the Deputy Commissioner and Chairperson of East Khasi Hills District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), the mock exercise is a simulation of the 1897 earthquake and will be participated by district officials, armed forces/paramilitary forces, NDRF, SDRF, police, fire and emergency services, hospitals, schools, colleges and community members.
Other participants include volunteers from various organisations such as Bharat Scouts and Guides, Indian Red Cross Society, NSS, Aapda Mitra volunteers, etc.
Members of the National Disaster Management Authority will attend the events to oversee the conduct of mock exercise by the state and district-level officials and other agencies.
Prior to the conduct of the mock exercise, a series of training programmes for government officials was conducted in various districts. A table-top exercise for state and district Incident Response teams will be conducted on Tuesday by NDMA official.
To evaluate the drill, observers who are well-versed in the conduct of mock exercises have been assigned to various locations identified as affected areas and hospitals. To start the drill, a siren will be sounded by the Deputy Controller, Shillong, to indicate that an earthquake has occurred.
In East Khasi Hills, the identified locations for the affected sites are the locality of Polo and road from Polo towards Wahingdoh, shopping complex/buildings/offices, Polo super market (SMB), shops in and around Polo area, Hotel Polo Towers, SBI Building, Polo and MeCEL, Lumjingshai, Samkhamti petrol pump, Urkaliar, Female Health Worker Training School, School of Nursing, TTC, Ganesh Das Govt MCH, St Xavier School, Polo, Pynthorumkhrah Golflink Secondary School, Shillong, Secondary School, Forest Colony, and Civil Hospital School of Nursing.
In Shillong, various facilities required for the purpose of the drill like medical camp, staging area, relief camp, incident command post, base, camp etc., will be set up in the SRGT Parking Lot, open space in front of 3rd Ground, Polo, and in Polo area. In view of the drill in which many rescue parties, ambulances and other responders will participate, the East Khasi Hills DDMA chairman has advised the general public not to panic and cooperate with the arrangements made by the government and plan their travel accordingly to avoid delay in traffic.
