Chandigarh, May 14 (PTI) Haryana on Thursday conducted a first state-level flood mock drill simultaneously across 13 flood-prone districts to strengthen disaster preparedness and emergency response systems ahead of the monsoon season.
The exercise was aimed at drawing lessons from the floods witnessed in 2023 and 2025 and strengthening Haryana’s preparedness-based disaster management framework, officials said.
Financial Commissioner, Revenue and Disaster Management, Sumita Misra led the entire exercise from the State Control Room in her capacity as the state incident commander.
The mock drill was conducted in Gurugram, Ambala, Faridabad, Fatehabad, Kaithal, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Panchkula, Panipat, Palwal, Sirsa, Sonipat and Yamunanagar, which have been identified as high flood-risk districts.
Two separate simulation sites were identified in each district to test response mechanisms under realistic flood scenarios.
Misra said the exercise was conducted to evaluate the state’s disaster preparedness systems, improve inter-departmental coordination, validate emergency response mechanisms and identify gaps requiring further improvement.
She said the Haryana government is committed to developing a proactive, technology-driven and community-centred disaster management system capable of responding swiftly during emergencies.
The exercise was conducted in three phases. The first phase involved an orientation and coordination conference held through video conferencing on May 6, followed by a table top exercise on May 12 to review response scenarios, communication protocols and preparedness plans.
The final phase involved live field simulations and deployment of agencies on Wednesday.
The simulated scenario assumed heavy monsoon rainfall and rising water levels in major rivers, including the Yamuna, Ghaggar, Tangri and Markanda rivers, leading to flood-like situations, urban waterlogging, disruption of communication systems and damage to infrastructure.
The state activated its complete emergency response mechanism involving 24 departments, including Home, Police, Irrigation, Health, Agriculture, Energy, Transport, Urban Local Bodies, Fire and Emergency Services and Public Health Engineering, officials said.
All deputy commissioners functioned as officers responsible for their districts to ensure smooth coordination and execution of the exercise.
Teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Police, Health Department, and Fire and Emergency Services conducted search and rescue simulations, evacuation drills, relief camp management exercises, and medical response operations across identified districts.
These drills replicate worst-case scenarios — such as people trapped near riverbanks amid heavy floods — using entirely natural evacuation procedures, according to officials, who added that they equip officers to handle any extreme situation and rigorously assess overall preparedness.
Senior disaster management experts, including Brigadier (Retd) Ravinder Gurung , Senior Consultant with National Disaster Management Authority, supervised the exercise from the state headquarters here.
Representatives from the Assam State Disaster Management Authority also participated and shared best practices related to flood management, officials said.
The drill also witnessed active participation of ‘Aapda Mitra’ volunteers, Indian Red Cross Society, NCC cadets, NSS volunteers, Bharat Scouts and Guides and local NGOs to strengthen community-level preparedness.
Officials reviewed the availability and functionality of resources listed on the India Disaster Resource Network (IDRN) portal to ensure timely deployment of manpower and equipment during emergencies.
Misra said all observations and learnings from the mock drill would be incorporated into future disaster management planning and contingency response mechanisms in Haryana.
She said the exercise marks a significant step towards building a resilient, responsive and preparedness-oriented disaster management system in the state. PTI SUN PRK
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