NDMA conducts its first mock exercise on forest fire in Uttarakhand

NDMA conducts its first mock exercise on forest fire in Uttarakhand 

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) conducted a first-of-its-kind State-level mock exercise on forest fire in Uttarakhand today. The mock exercise, aimed at assessing (मूल्यांकन) the

efficacy of integrating the preparedness and response mechanisms of the forest department with those of the district administration, has been conducted in collaboration with the State Government. The exercise is significant as almost 70 per cent of the State's geographical area is under forests and incidents of forest fires are commonplace.

The simulation exercise was conducted simultaneously at multiple locations, including residential areas adjoining forests, across all 13 districts covering different types of forests and varying degrees of severity of forest fires. 

NDMA expert Major General V.K. Datta (Retd.), who led the exercise, briefed about the proceedings of the day. As soon as reports of fire incidents started flowing in from districts, all senior officials reached the State Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) within a short time. They analysed the situation and issued instructions to districts for responding to the forest fires. 

Simultaneously, officials in the districts also assembled at their respective EOCs, formed response teams and swung into action. Using various techniques and equipment, fires were doused and affected people, animals rescued. 

The exercises were conducted in coordination with various agencies, such as fire, forest, Army, health, police, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and civil defense. After the drills, a post-exercise analysis was carried out in which all concerned officials took part and discussed the shortcomings and ways to improve them. 

The mock exercise was part of a three-day event which began with a Co-ordination Conference on April 18, 2017, followed by a Table-top Exercise on April 19, 2017. These meetings were held to ensure that necessary arrangements for conducting the mock exercise have been put in place. 

NDMA has so far conducted more than 550 mock exercises in different States and Union Territories for various disaster situations in its efforts to improve preparedness and response mechanisms for various disaster situations. 

NDMA 

Emergence (उद्भव) of an organization is always through an evolutionary(विकासवादी) process. NDMA has also gone through the same stages. The Government of India (GOI), in recognition of the importance of Disaster Management as a national priority, set up a High-Powered Committee (HPC) in August 1999 and a National Committee after the Gujarat earthquake, for making recommendations on the preparation of Disaster Management plans and suggesting effective mitigation mechanisms. The Tenth Five-Year Plan document also had, for the first time, a detailed chapter on Disaster Management. The Twelfth Finance Commission was also mandated to review the financial arrangements for Disaster Management.

On 23 December 2005, the Government of India enacted the Disaster Management Act, which envisaged the creation of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), headed by the Prime Minister, and State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) headed by respective Chief Ministers, to spearhead and implement a holistic and integrated approach to Disaster Management in India.