Chandigarh, Jan 28 (PTI) Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (retd), member of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), on Wednesday batted for conducting frequent mock exercises to enhance disaster preparedness across India.
Such exercises focus on strengthening response coordination, testing emergency plans, and better preparedness for various disasters among agencies that are involved to tackle them, he said at a conclave on disaster resilience held at the Army’s Western Command headquarters in Chandimandir, Panchkula.
One such mega mock drill has been planned for Punjab in coming weeks. The state last year witnessed massive floods, which claimed about 60 lives and caused extensive damage to infrastructure and crops.
The Western Command, in strategic partnership with the NDMA, hosted the conclave to bolster country’s readiness against natural and man-made calamities.
The conclave brought together the top brass of military, NDMA policymakers, and academic innovators.
Lt Gen Hasnain also stressed on resource mapping.
He said when disasters strike, civil and other agencies involved should know what equipment and resources are available so that these can be immediately put to action.
Rajender Singh, NDMA member, lauded the exemplary role played by the Army’s Western Command during devastating flood that affected major parts of Punjab last year.
“When lives, livelihood and critical infrastructure were under serious stress, the Indian Army sprung into action with remarkable speed, professionalism and compassion.
“Army columns were among the first responders on ground, rescuing citizens and providing essential relief material, restoring connectivity and instilling confidence in disaster affected people,” he said.
During a session at the conclave which focused on military-civil fusion in disaster management, Lt Gen K S Brar (retd), who has been part of several Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations including the Wayanad landslide in 2024, stressed that first 24 hours are most critical.
“…If you have to save lives, do any kind of mitigation, you have to react very fast,” he said, underlining that synergy and preparedness are key in responding to various kinds of disasters.
“Now, there are AI models, how much water can be released from upstream, how far it will flow, you can do a digital simulation. So, all models can be made and one can have a digital of what has to be done,” he said.
On requisition made by civil authorities seeking Army’s help to handle aftermath of the disasters, he said “the decision where you have to call the armed forces is important, if the Army has to be called then call it fast or be sure not to call it. However, this understanding will depend on case to case”.
Lt Gen Hasnain also felt that more important aspect today is that artificial intelligence is going to play such an important role.
“Any organisation which is not looking at AI, which is not looking at start-ups in India which are all involved with AI are not really innovating sufficiently,” he said.
Lt Gen Ajay Chandpuria, General Officer Commanding of 11 Corps, said large part of the northern region is exposed to a wide range of hazards including seismic, floods, landslides, avalanches, cloudburst, extreme weather and man-made disasters.
“The landscape is not only diverse, it is operationally demanding,” he said.
The nature of the terrain, population density, and other aspects involved pose a clear operational imperative on how we plan, deploy and respond to various challenges, he said.
Lt Gen Chandpuria said disasters also have a national security implication and hence the armed forces have a mandated role to respond to it “as a whole of nation or whole of society approach”.
Under ‘Operation Rahat’ conducted in August and September last year in the face of natural disasters in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh, he said total forces which were employed included about 42 columns of the Army, 16 aircraft and 17 engineer task forces.
More than 6,000 civilians were rescued, 15,000-plus people given aid, and 57,000 tons of relief material was supplied, he said. PTI SUN KVK KVK
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.