A table top exercise on disaster preparedness in the eco-fragile Ladakh region was conducted on Wednesday under the chairmanship of chief secretary Pawan Kotwal.
The exercise which was aimed at enhancing inter-agency coordination and strengthening response mechanisms for natural disasters in the region was held in the presence of the disaster management administrative secretary Shashanka Ala, Leh deputy commissioner Romil Singh Donk, Leh SSP Shruti Arora, and other senior district officers.
Key participants in the exercise included NDMA consultant Maj Gen (Retd) Sudhir Bahl, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) member Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain and 14 Corps General Officer Commanding (GOC) Lt. Gen. Hitesh Bhalla.
The exercise simulated multiple disaster scenarios, including earthquakes and flash floods, to assess the readiness and coordination between civil and military agencies in Ladakh’s unique and challenging terrain.
The UT Disaster Response Force (UT-DRF) presented the current preparedness levels and response strategies, outlining Ladakh’s vulnerability profile as a high seismic zone and the rising risks of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and cloudburst-induced flash floods.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) director Sonam Lotus made a detailed presentation on early warning and disaster forecasting mechanisms, stressing the role of timely alerts, weather forecasting, and the challenges posed by Ladakh’s complex topography.