Leh, Dec 12: An online Incident Response System (IRS) Training and Table Top Exercise (TTEx) held under the chairmanship of Member of the National Disaster Management Authority GoI Lt General (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain.
Lt General Hasnain highlighted the vulnerability of Ladakh from various natural calamities and the associated disaster such as landslides, avalanches, flashfloods and fire due to natural calamities. In the context, he said that effort should be made to stay ready and stress to keep up with various preparedness measures, mitigation of loop-holes, wide dissemination information, reinforce, and strengthen the manpower to act during disasters.
Divisional Commissioner Ladakh Saugat Biswas, Deputy Commissioner Leh Sachin Kumar Vaishya, ADC Leh Sonam Chosjor, Director ULB Ladakh Dr. Zahida Bano, Chief Medical Officer Leh Dr Motup Dorjay, SP UTDRF Kameshwar Puri, officers of ITBP, Army, Air Force, Border Roads Organisation, HIMANK, and concerned officers attended the meeting in Leh.
Senior Consultant NDMA Maj General (Dr) VK Naik, Additional Director General of Police S.S. Khandare, Scientists, Commandants, Deputy Commissioner Kargil Baseer Ul-Haq Chaudhary, SSP Kargil Dr Vinod Kumar, ADC Kargil Tsering Motup, concerned officers of Army, Vijayak, and other officers attended the meeting via video conference.
Maj General Naik through his TTEx presentation stressed that the main aim is to review the status of preparedness, awareness about our own requirements, identification of gaps, and making efforts to close those gaps.
Divisional Commissioner Ladakh Saugat Biswas gave a detailed account of the regular disaster review meetings being held with the aim to enforce preparedness for any eventuality. Div Comm Saugat also highlighted the need for conducting mock drills during time suitable to the region, importance of water-rescue team who can handle hypothermia, and requested support from NDMA for imparting training to doctors and paramedics, and also for better tele-connectivity services. Div Comm also requested NDMA’s assistance in extensive capacity building to civil defense volunteers, medical practitioners, UTDRF personnel and others.
During the meeting, Nodal Officer NSRMP UT Ladakh Dorjey Wangchuk gave a power-point presentation on Disaster Management preparedness of UT Ladakh on Earthquake, Scientist-E MoES Dr Babita Sharma gave a presentation on Seismicity aspects of earthquake and its limitations, SP UTDRF Kameshwar Puri made a presentation on preparedness for an earthquake, CMO Leh made a presentation on Ladakh on Medical Preparedness for Earthquake and COVID-19 related information for first responders, Commandant 7th Battalion Bhatinda Punjab made a presentation on NDRF on its preparedness for Ladakh.
