Mock Exercise on Chemical and Industrial Disaster Management Conducted Across Odisha

Bhubaneswar: In a significant step towards enhancing industrial safety and disaster preparedness, the Odisha government, in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), conducted a State-level Mock Exercise on Chemical and Industrial Disaster Management today. The exercise was held across 24 industrial locations in 16 districts, including Angul, Dhenkanal, Balasore, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Khurda, Koraput, Rayagada, Bolangir, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Sundergarh, and Mayurbhanj.

The primary objective of this large-scale drill was to assess and refine emergency response mechanisms, identify gaps in detection, early warning, evacuation, and containment strategies at both industrial and local government levels. The exercise focused on chemical and hazardous material-related scenarios, enabling industries to test their response mechanisms, equipment, and standard operating procedures (SOPs).

During the mock drill, industrial units coordinated their response efforts with local authorities, mobilizing additional resources such as fire brigades and medical teams. District administrations also oversaw the evacuation of nearby villagers to designated safe shelters, ensuring community involvement in disaster preparedness initiatives.

The exercise witnessed active participation from various stakeholders, including top management and incident response teams from industries, district and block administration officials, local police, fire and emergency services, medical teams, Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) members, and community volunteers.

To strengthen response capabilities, six specialized teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) 3rd Battalion, Mundali, and 12 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams were deployed across various industrial locations. Senior district administration officials were stationed as Incident Commanders at each site to oversee operations and resource mobilization.

Technical experts from key agencies, including the Directorate of Factories and Boilers, State Pollution Control Board, Indian Army, Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, CRPF, and CISF, were also involved in monitoring and evaluating the drill.

Aditya Kumar, Commandant (Retd.), NDMA, supervised the exercise from the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), Bhubaneswar, alongside officials from the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) and the office of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC).

Following the completion of the exercise, a debriefing session was conducted virtually at the SEOC, where representatives from the 16 participating districts, industrial units, Incident Commanders, and technical observers shared their observations and feedback. The session was chaired by Shri Padmanav Behera, Additional Special Relief Commissioner, who emphasized the importance of continuous improvement in disaster management strategies.