295 take part in Vaishno Devi board mock drill

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board conducted a five-day mock drill exercise in priority sectors to enhance disaster management preparedness. The exercise involved 295 stakeholders from various security agencies and included table talk sessions, search and rescue equipment displays, and inventory audits. The drill aimed to sensitise stakeholders to potential natural and manmade hazards and enhance their response mechanism in the event of any disaster.

A five-day mock drill exercise was conducted by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board in priority sectors such as Bhawan (sanctum sanctorum), Bhairon Ghati, Sanjichhat, Adhkuwari and Banganga.

A mock drill conducted by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.

The mock drill that started April 24 concluded on Friday. About 295 persons participated in the mock drill.

Notable, at least 12 pilgrims were killed and 16 others injured in a stampede at the bhawan during the intervening night of December 31, 2021 and January 1, 2022 at 2.40 am.

The findings of the probe marked by LG Manoj Sinha to the then home secretary Shaleen Kabra still remain unclear. The probe report had to be submitted within a week.

“In view of difficult terrain and topography of the shrine area, disaster management has been one of the priority areas of the board. In a bid to enhance preparedness for disaster management, the board conducts timely training and joint mock drill exercises with stakeholders to check the alertness and response mechanism in the event of any disaster like eventuality to ensure quick and most effective response from all concerned,” said an official spokesperson.

Accordingly, under the guidance of LG Sinha, who is also the chairman of the SMVDSB, a five-day mock drill exercise was conducted from April 24 to Friday.

The stakeholders were debriefed to plug any gaps and enhance preparedness for disaster management.

They included security agencies such as CRPF, Jammu and Kashmir Police, department of fire and emergency services, state disaster response force, Reasi and a team from NDRF.

Besides, the NDRF also displayed various search and rescue equipment and conducted table talk sessions regarding the do’s and don’ts during disasters.

“The mock drills were conducted with an objective to sensitise stakeholders with regard to potential natural and manmade hazards such as landslides, earthquakes, forest fires, electric fires and structure collapse in the shrine area and giving them hands on exposure to mitigation measures, crowd control, basic of search and rescue, operation and maintenance of fire fighting vehicles besides, a comprehensive inventory audit of the disaster management stores set up by the board at various locations on the track,” said the spokesperson.