Mock disaster drill in Delhi-NCR: Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad and others to witness mega-scale drill on...

A first-ever 'mega-scale' disaster management mock exercise will be conducted in the national capital region (NCR) on August 1 with the involvement of multiple emergency response agencies working to tackle earthquake, industrial and chemical hazards-like situations. The drill will be preceded by a symposium of multiple stakeholder agencies to be held on July 29 and table-top exercises (TTEx) on July 30 at the Manekshaw Centre in Delhi. This mega exercise is named Suraksha Chakra and this is the first such integrated disaster management exercise to be held in Delhi-NCR, an NDMA member said.

Who will conduct the exercise?

The exercise will be conducted jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Army's Western Command and Headquarter Delhi Area, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police, civil defence, fire services, and health and transport departments apart from the disaster management organisations of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

Why such a mega drill?

"The mega-scale drills are part of the Centre's whole-of-government approach where multiple stakeholders will work together to make this region a safer place," NDMA Member Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (retd) told reporters. He said the exercise aims to create awareness amongst the general public and find ways and solutions to tackle a real disaster that may hit the Delhi-NCR in the future.

READ | Elon Musk's Starlink to affect Mukesh Ambani's Jio, Sunil Mittal's Airtel services in India? Govt says it can have only...

Where will these drills be conducted?

DDMA CEO Krishan Kumar said at least 55 places in 11 districts of Delhi will be hosting the mock drills with multiple police, fire and emergency vehicles and ambulances criss-crossing the length and breadth of the national capital on August 1. Lt Gen Hasnain said apart from Delhi, two districts of UP -- Noida and Ghaziabad -- and five from adjoining Haryana-- Gurugram, Faridabad, Palwal, Nuh and Rewari-- will be part of the mock drills.

(With inputs from PTI)