Arunachal: Joint Civil-Military Drill Boosts Disaster Preparedness in Tawang

OUR CORRESPONDENT

Itanagar: In a significant step toward strengthening disaster response readiness, a large-scale joint civil-military mock drill was successfully conducted on Wednesday at Mhentsang Rong (Bomdir Nallah) in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh.

The exercise aimed to improve coordination and test the efficiency of various agencies in handling natural disasters like landslides, earthquakes, flash floods, and fires.

The simulation, which began at 11:30 am, was overseen by Commander of the Tawang Brigade Brigadier Bhupal Singh, and involved simultaneous drills at five different locations, simulating real-life emergency scenarios.

Participating in the exercise were teams from the Indian Army, 38th Battalion of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), 55th Battalion of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), 12th Battalion of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Tawang Fire Brigade, Tawang Police, KDS district hospital medical staff, and the veterinary department.

Preparations began on June 10, with a detailed equipment inspection and a briefing session jointly chaired by Brig Singh and district disaster management officer Genden Tsomu at Brigade headquarters. During the debriefing, Brig Singh lauded the smooth execution of the drill but cautioned that real disasters are unpredictable and can escalate quickly.

Drawing on past flash flood experiences, he stressed that immediate response is crucial and even short delays can result in loss of life. He advised designating local individuals to issue early warnings and emphasised that the first two hours post-disaster are critical for saving lives.

Brig Singh also recommended that households in vulnerable areas, especially those near steep slopes or congested zones, develop local disaster management plans with marked escape routes.

Further suggestions included regular mock drills, particularly during monsoon season, basic first-aid training, and stocking essential supplies in high-risk communities. The comprehensive drill reaffirmed the dedication of both civil and military agencies to safeguard the people of Tawang through proactive disaster management. Meanwhile, Tawang deputy commissioner Namgyal Angmo, superintendent of police Dr D W Thongon, and the DDMO, joined a virtual meeting with the state chief secretary to review the state’s monsoon preparedness.

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