Tabletop exercise held ahead of mock drill for Char Dham Yatra disaster preparedness

Dehradun: Ahead of the full-scale mock drill scheduled for Thursday, a tabletop exercise (TTEX) was conducted on Tuesday under the Incident Response System (IRS) framework to enhance disaster preparedness for the upcoming Char Dham Yatra.
The objective is to evaluate the on-ground preparedness of various line departments in handling potential disasters during the pilgrimage. The mock drill is being jointly organised by the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
"These drills aim to test inter-departmental coordination, resource mobilisation and emergency response protocols ahead of the high-footfall yatra season," said Vinod Kumar Suman, secretary of the disaster management department.
NDMA member Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (retd) reviewed the preparations at the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) in Dehradun. He emphasised that such mock drills provide a crucial opportunity to assess the readiness, capabilities and resources of various agencies.
Hasnain highlighted the significance of the Char Dham Yatra, calling it "not just a religious journey for Uttarakhand, but a national pilgrimage" attracting lakhs of devotees from across the globe. He also praised the recent forest fire mock drill conducted by USDMA and commended the state's awareness initiatives.
"USDMA is fully prepared to tackle any emergency during the pilgrimage. Coordination is ongoing with all line departments and nodal officers will be stationed at the emergency centre for real-time monitoring. Police and tourism control room feeds will also be integrated for better oversight," Suman said, adding that chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is personally monitoring the preparations to ensure a safe and smooth yatra.
Additional CEO (implementation) DIG Rajkumar Negi showcased the department's preparedness using GIS mapping and risk mitigation strategies for vulnerable areas. The upcoming mock drill will focus on ensuring all departments function in synergy under the IRS framework.
The session concluded with USDMA's additional CEO (admin) Anand Swaroop urging 100% participation from all departments in the drill. Senior officials from NDMA, SDRF and BKTC also participated in the planning session.
Dehradun: Ahead of the full-scale mock drill scheduled for Thursday, a tabletop exercise (TTEX) was conducted on Tuesday under the Incident Response System (IRS) framework to enhance disaster preparedness for the upcoming Char Dham Yatra.
The objective is to evaluate the on-ground preparedness of various line departments in handling potential disasters during the pilgrimage. The mock drill is being jointly organised by the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
"These drills aim to test inter-departmental coordination, resource mobilisation and emergency response protocols ahead of the high-footfall yatra season," said Vinod Kumar Suman, secretary of the disaster management department.
NDMA member Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (retd) reviewed the preparations at the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) in Dehradun. He emphasised that such mock drills provide a crucial opportunity to assess the readiness, capabilities and resources of various agencies.
Hasnain highlighted the significance of the Char Dham Yatra, calling it "not just a religious journey for Uttarakhand, but a national pilgrimage" attracting lakhs of devotees from across the globe. He also praised the recent forest fire mock drill conducted by USDMA and commended the state's awareness initiatives.
"USDMA is fully prepared to tackle any emergency during the pilgrimage. Coordination is ongoing with all line departments and nodal officers will be stationed at the emergency centre for real-time monitoring. Police and tourism control room feeds will also be integrated for better oversight," Suman said, adding that chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is personally monitoring the preparations to ensure a safe and smooth yatra.
Additional CEO (implementation) DIG Rajkumar Negi showcased the department's preparedness using GIS mapping and risk mitigation strategies for vulnerable areas. The upcoming mock drill will focus on ensuring all departments function in synergy under the IRS framework.
The session concluded with USDMA's additional CEO (admin) Anand Swaroop urging 100% participation from all departments in the drill. Senior officials from NDMA, SDRF and BKTC also participated in the planning session.