Latest news with #DisasterManagementAct
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Climate
- New Indian Express
After flood and intense heat, wind shakes up Kerala's disaster roster
The lack of a comprehensive tree-management policy on the part of local self-government institutions (LSGIs), apathy in invoking the Disaster Management Act to address tree-related hazards, and unchecked and haphazard hoardings on highrise buildings and roadsides have worsened the crisis. K G Thara, former head of the State Institute for Land and Disaster Management Centre, said that soil conservation should be given priority to protect trees against extreme weather events. She said the pruning of trees by local bodies is not happening in the state. 'Trees are toppling because they are not being protected. Trees are becoming fragile and unable to withstand heavy rain and wind because of top soil erosion. The cutting of trees is not at all a solution and we should not forget that trees also help mitigate many disasters. Soil conservation should be given more focus. Instead of disaster response we need to focus on all this to mitigate such disasters,' she said. Here to stay? IMD director Neetha K Gopal said that the south westerly wind was strong compared to average surface level wind the state experiences. 'Amini Island, which is our first observation point, recorded a wind speed of 80-90 km per hour over the past days. If all the elements driving the monsoon are favourable this might happen again. Last July, we had similar strong winds but the rain was less compared to this year,' said Neetha.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Haryana to conduct state-wide mock drill today, 15-min blackout from 8 pm
Haryana will now conduct the state-wide mock drill – civil defence exercise — under Operation Shield on Saturday across all 22 districts to enhance state's emergency preparedness and response capabilities. Scheduled to begin at 5 pm, the drill is being organised under the guidance of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to simulate critical incidents such as air raids, drone attacks, and other wartime scenarios in the light of current national security concerns. Earlier, this mock drill was scheduled for May 29 but was postponed as per MHA instructions. A controlled blackout of 15 minutes will be observed from 8 pm near vital installations, with exception of essential emergency services such as hospitals, fire stations, and police stations. Interacting with media persons here Friday, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sumita Misra said, 'The exercise aims to test existing emergency mechanisms, improve coordination between the civil administration, defence forces, and local communities and to identify areas that need to be strengthened, thus ensuring swift and effective response during any crisis.' Misra said, 'Currently there are around 32,000 civil defence volunteers across Haryana who will contribute in this exercise. All Deputy Commissioners have been directed to call out Civil Defence Volunteers, NSS, NCC, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), Home Gaurds, etc. of their respective districts in order to brief them regarding their deployment, duties and exercises to be undertaken.' The key components include drills responding to aerial threats such as air raids and swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), activation of air raid sirens, and testing of control room communication hotlines established with the Indian Air Force. The exercise aligns with the Incident Response System (IRS), which Haryana officially notified on January 28, 2025, under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, providing a structured framework for effective emergency response. All Deputy Commissioners, who are also Chairpersons of District Disaster Management Authorities, along with Commissioners and Superintendents of Police, have been directed to ensure meticulous planning and execution of the exercise in their jurisdictions. 'They have been instructed to submit a detailed Action Taken Reports to the Commandant General, Home Guards, and Director, Civil Defence, Haryana, which will be compiled for state-level review and forwarded to the MHA. The above mock exercises are scheduled for May 31 between 5 pm and 9 pm and should not be the cause of alarm for the citizen,' Misra said.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Haryana to conduct statewide civil defence exercise 'Operation Shield' on May 31
The Haryana government will conduct a major statewide Civil Defence Exercise, "Operation Shield", on May 31, across all 22 districts to enhance the state's emergency preparedness and response capabilities. Scheduled to begin at 5 p.m., this comprehensive drill is being organised under the guidance of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, to simulate critical incidents such as air raids, drone attacks, and other wartime scenarios in the light of current national security concerns, an official statement said here on Friday. The mock exercises are scheduled for May 31 between 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and should not be the cause of alarm for the citizens, officials said. Earlier, this drill was scheduled for May 29 but was postponed as per the instructions of the Ministry of Home Affairs, it said. Giving further details, Additional Chief Secretary, Haryana's Home Department, Sumita Misra on Friday stated that the exercise aims to test existing emergency mechanisms, improve coordination between the civil administration, defence forces, and local communities and to identify areas that need to be strengthened, thus ensuring swift and effective response during any crisis. She said that currently there are around 32,000 Civil Defence Volunteers across state who will also contribute in this exercise. All Deputy Commissioners have been directed to call out Civil Defence Volunteers, NSS, NCC, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), Home Guards, of their respective districts in order to brief them regarding their deployment, duties and exercises to be undertaken. She further stated that, key components include drills responding to aerial threats such as air raids and swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), activation of air raid sirens, and testing of control room communication hotlines established with the Indian Air Force. Additionally, a controlled blackout of 15 minutes will be observed from 8 p.m. to 8.15 p.m. near vital installations, with exception of essential emergency services such as hospitals, fire stations, and police stations. Mr. Misra highlighted that the exercise also aligns with the Incident Response System (IRS), which Haryana officially notified on January 28, 2025, under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, providing a structured framework for effective emergency response. She directed all Deputy Commissioners, who are also Chairpersons of District Disaster Management Authorities, along with Commissioners and Superintendents of Police, to ensure meticulous planning and execution of the exercise in their jurisdictions. They have been instructed to submit detailed Action Taken Reports to the Commandant General, Home Guards, and Director, Civil Defence, Haryana, which will be compiled for state-level review and forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Haryana to hold statewide civil defence drill 'Operation Shield' on May 31
The Haryana government will conduct a major statewide Civil Defence Exercise, "Operation Shield", on May 31, across all 22 districts to enhance the state's emergency preparedness and response capabilities. Scheduled to begin at 5 pm, this comprehensive drill is being organised under the guidance of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, to simulate critical incidents such as air raids, drone attacks, and other wartime scenarios in the light of current national security concerns, an official statement said here on Friday. The mock exercises are scheduled for May 31 between 5 pm to 9 pm and should not be the cause of alarm for the citizens, officials said. Earlier, this drill was scheduled for May 29 but was postponed as per the instructions of the Ministry of Home Affairs, it said. Giving further details, Additional Chief Secretary, Haryana's Home Department, Sumita Misra on Friday stated that the exercise aims to test existing emergency mechanisms, improve coordination between the civil administration, defence forces, and local communities and to identify areas that need to be strengthened, thus ensuring swift and effective response during any crisis. She said that currently there are around 32,000 Civil Defence Volunteers across state who will also contribute in this exercise. All Deputy Commissioners have been directed to call out Civil Defence Volunteers, NSS, NCC, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), Home Guards, of their respective districts in order to brief them regarding their deployment, duties and exercises to be undertaken. She further stated that, key components include drills responding to aerial threats such as air raids and swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), activation of air raid sirens, and testing of control room communication hotlines established with the Indian Air Force. Additionally, a controlled blackout of 15 minutes will be observed from 8 pm to 8.15 pm near vital installations, with exception of essential emergency services such as hospitals, fire stations, and police stations. Misra highlighted that the exercise also aligns with the Incident Response System (IRS), which Haryana officially notified on January 28, 2025, under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, providing a structured framework for effective emergency response. She directed all Deputy Commissioners, who are also Chairpersons of District Disaster Management Authorities, along with Commissioners and Superintendents of Police, to ensure meticulous planning and execution of the exercise in their jurisdictions. They have been instructed to submit detailed Action Taken Reports to the Commandant General, Home Guards, and Director, Civil Defence, Haryana, which will be compiled for state-level review and forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Climate
- Time of India
Collectorate chatbot to provide real time weather updates and disaster helpline support
Nagpur: With the early onset of the monsoon, the district collectorate has supercharged its WhatsApp chatbot, which was already familiar to citizens for lodging complaints, by turning it into a digital disaster response hub. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Now, in addition to complaint handling, the chatbot offers real-time weather updates, flood alerts, and direct access to emergency contacts, making it a lifeline in times of crisis. Earlier, users texting 'Hi' to the chatbot at 8669494944 would get three choices: Collectorate, Tehsil Office, and Nagar Parishad. In a recent update, the Tehsil Office and Nagar Parishad were merged into one option. The third option was replaced with a new 'Disaster Management' section, considered a critical feature as the monsoon approaches. "It's not just about convenience, it's about saving time when it matters most. We've made sure citizens have all the information they need, right in their phones," said a senior official from the district administration, who confirmed the rollout. Once inside the Disaster Management section, users can access real-time weather forecasts for the next five days, complete with rainfall predictions, temperature highs and lows, and official warnings issued for the region. The data isn't generic; it's location-specific and updated in real time to reflect the latest alerts from meteorological and disaster authorities. The service goes much further. Users can also check current water levels in lakes, rivers, and dams across the district, which is considered a crucial tool in flood-prone areas. In addition, the chatbot provides PDFs and official documents, including the district's Disaster Management Plan, the Heatwave Action Plan, maps showing flood-prone villages, water flow maps, and detailed rainfall analysis broken down by taluka. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Sources in the department said that while the new feature was rolled out and is already accessible to the public, some elements are still a work in progress and will be fully functional in the coming days. From precautions to take in extreme weather to legal guidelines under the Disaster Management Act, the platform is packed with practical, actionable content.
