PANJIM: The Goa State Disaster Management Authority in collaboration with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and National Disaster Response Force (NDMF) will on Friday conduct a mock drill of rescue and relief operation in the coastal State to oversee its preparedness on cyclone management.
Addressing media persons on Wednesday, Revenue Secretary Sandeep Jacques said that the disaster authorities will jointly conduct mock exercise on simulation of cyclone on March 3. He said a table-top exercise was held on Wednesday. “The exercise will help us to understand as where we stand in disaster preparedness, what are the gaps and what needs to be done to fill those gaps,” he said.
Jacques has asked citizens not to panic and to support the authorities in making mock drill a success. The exercise will be conducted in Caranzalem in North Goa and Colva beach in South.
Under World Bank Funding, the Goa Government has constructed eleven multi-purpose disaster resilient rescue centres that can house all together 500 people. State has also installed 38 towers to issue real-time cyclone warning to the people. The total cost of the project is around Rs 190 crore.
NDMA’s Brigadier B S Thakker said that the aim is to see as what is the preparedness level of the state of Goa. “The exercise will cover evacuation, search and rescue, hospital preparedness among others,” he said adding that we have done the study on the resources available and how to make use of it.
