IMPHAL, March 6: A multi-state mock exercise on natural calamities like earth quakes will be conducted on March 13 at Thoubal and Imphal East districts on March 13.
This was announced by chief secretary PC Lawmkunga.
In a press briefing, the chief secretary said: “On March 13, the same mock exercise will be conducted in 18 places of the northeast by National Disaster Management Authority. Preparations at five different places in Imphal East and Thoubal are on. It will be conducted at JNIMS hospital, DC Complex Imphal East, City Convention Hall, Kushum petrol pump and Ima Market. The exercise will be conducted in Thoubal at the Mini Secretariat, District Hospital, Thoubal Market, Wangjing Market and Thoubal College.”
He said that a 100 strong team from the National Disaster Response Force will arrive in Imphal from Guwahati on March 11. The team will split into two with 50 people each. The two will give instructions in five different places at Thoubal and Imphal East.
Our state is included among the highly quake-prone five specific zones. So this responds force exercise will demonstrate rescue operations with high technology after calamity occurred. In this exercise, the state DGP, SPs and other police personnel will co-operate. The state force’s core team consisting of 35 police personnel will participate in the exercise mock. The actual requirement of the core team will be one battalion, he added.
He said that the demonstrations performed by the core team and experts will emphasise on rescue missions particularly on disaster. With this preventive measure, damages by natural calamities can be reduced.
We can’t prevent natural calamities like earth quakes or cyclones but this can minimise the damages done. During the mega exercises, districts SPs and fire service department are ask to come and witness the performance of the mock drills.
“The team from National Disaster Response Force and state government representatives will conduct a meeting at Old Secretariat on March 12. Before leaving for Thoubal and Imphal East the next day, it will convene another meeting with authorities at the old secretariat hall.”
Citing the details of the earth quake scenario developed by CSIR and NEIST, Jorhat, in consultation with other scientific and earth science journals, Lawmkunga said it was not the exact assessment and if calamity occurs the total number of injuries will be 2,10,000 persons and numbers of death will be 38,000 persons of the state population.
He said that PWD officials are advised to conduct a survey of all the buildings in Imphal city so that we can identify the area and take up preventive measures to protect from damages by the impact of natural calamity, he added.
Principal secretary of health Suhel Aktar was also present in the function.