SHILLONG: The state of Meghalaya conducted a state-level mock exercise to test the preparedness level for a natural disaster on Thursday. The exercise was conducted by the Meghalaya State Disaster Management Authority in different locations.
The mock drill was conducted to simulate the major earthquake of 1897. It started at 9 AM on Thursday and several organisations including the State Disaster Response Force, National Disaster Response Force, district officials, armed forces, paramilitary forces, state police, fire and emergency services, Non Government Organisations, educational institutions and volunteers were part of this exercise. The District Disaster Management Authorities Chairman headed this training in the East Khasi Hills District. Representatives of the National Disaster Management Authority also attended the event.
But this mock drill also led to massive traffic woes in the capital city and several people struggled to reach their offices and other destinations in time. Several localities took to social media to share pictures and videos of the heavier-than-usual traffic in the city. Since the district authorities failed to provide any alternative routes, the people faced massive traffic jams at peak office hours.
Ahead of the exercise, the Meghalaya State Disaster Management Authority (MSDMA), Revenue & Disaster Management Department, Government of Meghalaya, in collaboration with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, on Tuesday had organized a table-top exercise for all stakeholders at State Convention Centre, Shillong.
Sanjay Goyal, Commissioner & Secretary, Revenue & Disaster Management Department, in his inaugural address, said that the table-top exercise is a precursor to the mock exercise and stressed that the entire exercise is to help in familiarizing all the stakeholders of their roles and duties on the day of the mock drill and also in ensuring the successful conduct of the state-level mock drill. He also emphasized that Meghalaya being a very sensitive and vulnerable region to earthquakes, the prime focus apart from other disasters have always been on preparedness towards the eventuality of any earthquake. He urged the stakeholders to take the entire exercise seriously and to test themselves as to how much the state as a whole is prepared in tackling any such eventuality.
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