The Telangana government will conduct state-wide mock drills on May 18 to assess preparedness and strengthen emergency response systems for floods, forest fires, and industrial accidents. The drills aim to evaluate the effectiveness of existing protocols and identify areas for improvement.
Flood Mock Drills
Flood mock drills will be conducted in Hyderabad, Kamareddy, Mulugu, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Khammam, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Warangal, Hanamkonda, Wanaparthy, Narayanpet, and Jogulamba Gadwal districts. These areas are prone to flooding during monsoon seasons, and the exercises will test evacuation procedures and coordination among response teams.
Forest Fire and Industrial Accident Drills
Forest fire mock drills are proposed in Kumuram Bheem Asifabad, Nagarkurnool, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Mulugu, and Bhadradri Kothagudem districts. These regions have significant forest cover and are vulnerable to wildfires. Industrial accident mock exercises will be conducted in Rangareddy, Nalgonda, Sangareddy, and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts, where industrial zones are concentrated.
Review Meeting and Preparations
State Revenue Disaster Management Secretary Dasari Hari Chandana reviewed the arrangements with officials at the Command Control Centre (CCC) on Friday. She directed all departments and district administrations to ensure effective coordination and timely response during the exercises. The secretary emphasized that the drills would help assess the functioning of Emergency Operation Centres (EOCs), Incident Response Teams (IRTs), communication systems, and inter-departmental coordination during emergency situations.
Key Insights from Officials
Fire Services Director General Vikram Singh Mann stated that mock drills play a crucial role in identifying gaps and resolving issues to tackle floods, industrial accidents, and fires. He noted that under the guidance of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the state has learned to improve preparedness and minimize loss of life and property during disasters.
Major General Sudhir Behl (Retd), Lead Consultant at NDMA, gave a detailed presentation on the roles and responsibilities of departments during mock exercises. He explained that such exercises help identify gaps in communication, rescue operations, coordination, and resource mobilization. He also reviewed preparatory activities, community participation, resource awareness, and mapping.
Participating Agencies
Senior officials from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police, forest, fire departments, Central Water Commission (CWC), health department, industries, HYDRAA, TGICCC, CISF, and other departments attended the review meeting. The collaborative effort underscores the importance of multi-agency coordination in disaster management.
The state government aims to enhance its disaster response capabilities through these drills, ensuring that communities are better protected against natural and man-made hazards. The exercises will also serve as a platform for testing new technologies and strategies in emergency management.
