Leh: A Disaster Management Orientation and Coordination Conference was held today in virtual mode at the Conference Hall of the Deputy Commissioner’s Office, Leh, in preparation for the upcoming UT-Level Mock Drill Exercise.
The session, chaired by Maj. Gen. Sudhir Bahl (Retd.), aimed to strengthen disaster preparedness and address shortcomings identified in previous operations.
The presentation detailed the Incident Response System (IRS), allocation of nodal officers, early warning mechanisms, and coordinated planning for disaster and rescue operations. Maj. Gen. Bahl stressed the importance of public awareness campaigns, inter-departmental coordination, and regular training in line with national disaster management guidelines.
He called for close collaboration with the Army, ITBP, and Air Force to enhance operational readiness, while also highlighting the need to adapt response strategies for both urban and rural scenarios.
The upcoming UT-Level Mock Drill will follow a structured programme, starting with preparations and coordination activities from August 12 to 18, including awareness drives, resource mapping, communication planning, training, and rehearsals. On August 19, a Tabletop Exercise will be conducted to review State Disaster Management Authority updates, assess civil defence preparedness, and present scenario-based responses from districts and departments. Preparations for the main drill on August 20 will involve setting up simulation sites, activating Emergency Operations Centres, deploying Incident Response Teams, arranging relief camps, and conducting communication checks. The main mock exercise will take place on August 21–22, with daytime response operations and ground visits scheduled from 9 am to 1 pm, followed by a night exercise from 6:30 pm to 10 pm. The programme will conclude with a debriefing session on August 22 at 10 am.
The meeting was attended in person by Additional Deputy Commissioner, Leh, Ghulam Mohd, and Additional Superintendent of Police, Leh, while officials from CISF Leh, 13 NDRF, DIG ITBP, and U-Force 14 Corps joined virtually. The exercises will test inter-agency coordination, hospital casualty management, and school evacuation procedures to ensure comprehensive preparedness for any emergency situation.
