YUPIA, 16 Jul: In an effort to bolster disaster preparedness for critical infrastructure, the first-ever multi-hazard mock drill for a hydroelectric project and its downstream areas was conducted at the Pare hydroelectric project on Wednesday.
The mock drill was conducted jointly by the District Disaster Management Authority, National Disaster Management Authority, and NEEPCO, in close coordination with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force, Fire & Emergency Services, medical teams, and other on-role teams of the district administration.
The mock drill involved four hypothetical disaster scenarios across multiple locations, including a combined flood and earthquake scenario at Panyor Lower Power Station in Hoj, an earthquake scenario at Pare Dam (Zampa), flooding at the Pare Hydroelectric Project in Sopo and urban flooding at Doimukh market area on the banks of Pare river.
At each site, NDRF search and rescue teams conducted live demonstrations of emergency response, including victim rescue, triage, and coordination. Special demonstrations included the use of sniffer dogs, optical detection devices, and victim location cameras, fire-fighting operations by the Fire and Emergency Services and river rescue operations by the NDRF.
Officials from the Pare Hydroelectric Project, led by head of project Sania Ngurang, also actively participated in the mock drill, demonstrating strong inter-agency collaboration and on-ground preparedness.
The event also saw enthusiastic participation from APDA Mitras, National Service Scheme volunteers, and members of the local community, underlining the importance of public involvement in disaster management.
To ensure the effectiveness of the drill, observers were appointed at each incident site to closely monitor, evaluate, and report on operational efficiency and any areas for improvement.
Afa Phassang served as the incident commander, ensuring effective coordination and successful execution of the entire drill.
The event concluded with a formal debriefing session, where observations and feedback were shared to strengthen future disaster response strategies.
The mock drill was witnessed by several dignitaries and experts, including Maj General (Retd) Ajay Kumar Verma, consultant, NDMA, A. Balan, member, Central Electricity Authority (Planning), ADC Tame Yajum, SDO Kipa Raja, and representatives from various hydroelectric projects across the country, giving the event a national dimension. (DIPRO)