‘Exercise AIKYA’, a two-day symposium on disaster management begins in Chennai

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), in collaboration with the Southern Command of the Indian Army, is organising a two-day national symposium, ‘Exercise AIKYA’, on disaster management in Chennai on Wednesday.

The exercise will feature simulations, technology discussions, and expert insights into various roles of disaster management. The inaugural session was headed by Lt. Gen. Dhiraj Seth, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-Chief) Southern Command, Lt. Gen. KaranBir Singh Brar, GOC, Dakshin Bharat Area, P. Amudha, Tamil Nadu State Secretary of Revenue Administration and Disaster Management and Lt. Gen. Syed Atna Hasnani, Member, NDMA.

Delivering the inaugural address, Lt. Gen. Dhiraj Seth said ancient civilisations, such as the Indus Valley and Mayan civilizations, perished due to natural disasters. “The destructive power of disasters as witnessed recently in Turkey and Syria, serve as constant reminders of the need for preparedness, resilience and an effective response mechanism,” he added.

He also noted that India loses 2% GDP on average every year owing to national disasters. Pointing to the vulnerability of southern States prone to cyclones and floods, Mr. Seth underlined the role of defence forces in disaster management, during such events.

“With climate change, more disasters are bound to happen. We cannot prevent them, but we can be prepared to handle it more effectively,” Ms. Amudha said. While speaking at the event, Ms. Amudha stated that Tamil Nadu has been deploying technology in disaster management with the help of apps like ‘TN Smart’ and ‘TN alert’. She also mentioned that from this year, the State government will rely not only on India Meteorological Department (IMD) reports but also draw up on private weather bloggers for forecast reports.

At the event, Mr. Hasnani spoke about the effects of climate change in India and the disaster management cycle which includes prevention, preparedness, mitigation and response. Mr. Brar provided an overview of disaster management, humanitarian assistance and relief.

Members of National Institute of Ocean Technology, officials of IMD, Department of Telecom, National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Management Authority of five southern States and a Union Territory, Indian Army, Navy, Air force, Coast Guard and other departments were present on the occasion.

Published - September 18, 2024 08:30 pm IST