State-Level Mock Exercise on Chemical (Industrial) Disasters Conducted in Jaipur, Alwar, Jodhpur, and Barmer

Jaipur : A state-level mock exercise on chemical (industrial) disasters was conducted on Thursday in four sensitive districts of Rajasthan—Jaipur, Alwar, Jodhpur, and Barmer—under the joint auspices of the National Disaster Management Authority and the Department of Disaster Management, Relief, and Civil Security.

Participants in the mock exercise included the District Administration, Medical and Health Department, Transport Department, Factories and Boilers, Industries Department, Civil Security Department, State Disaster Response Force, National Disaster Response Force, and the Indian Army. The exercise was directed at the state level by Shri Makhan Lal, Nodal Officer and Special Officer of the State Emergency Operations Center located at the Monitoring Secretariat. At the district level, oversight was provided from the District Disaster Control Room.

In Jaipur, under the guidance of District Collector Mr. Jitendra Soni, the mock exercise simulated a leakage in the LPG gas pipeline of GAIL India Limited in the Rajawas rural area. In Jodhpur, District Collector Shri Gaurav Agarwal oversaw a simulation involving the leakage of toluene gas at the Uma Polymer Factory in the Mogda area along Pali Road. In Alwar, District Collector Mrs. Artika Shukla managed a scenario involving the leakage of chlorine gas at Lord’s Chlorine Factory. In Barmer, the exercise focused on crude oil spillage at Vedanta Limited under the guidance of District Collector Smt. Tina Dabi.

In all the mock exercises, action was taken to manage the leakages by establishing red, yellow, and green zones. Additionally, necessary healthcare was provided to citizens affected by the leaking gas or oil by the medical team.

National Disaster Management Authority Joint Secretary Shri K. P. Singh stated that Rajasthan is prone to gas, petroleum, chemical, and mineral disasters. However, climate change has increased the risk of natural disasters such as heat waves, floods, and lightning, which can exacerbate chemical disasters. He emphasized that hazards can be mitigated by developing an early warning system and fostering inter-departmental coordination to address these disasters. State Disaster Management Department Joint Secretary Shri Bhagwant Singh expressed gratitude to everyone involved for successfully conducting the mock exercise.