NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, SEPT 17
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Southern Command of the Indian Army will conduct an Integrated Symposium cum Table Top Exercise (TTEx) Exercise Aikya on disaster management at the Headquarters of the Dakshin Bharat Area, Chennai, on 18-19 Sep 2024.
This exercise will unite key stakeholders from central ministries, disaster management agencies, early warning organizations, and institutions from the six southern states/UTs: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Puducherry. It emphasizes the need for preparedness and collaboration to address complex disaster challenges.
Response agencies, including the Indian Navy, @IAF_MCC, @NDRFHQ, Indian Coast Guard, CISF, Railways, and @DoT_India, will simulate disaster scenarios to test preparedness and response strategies for hazards like cyclones, floods, and tsunamis.(3/4) pic.twitter.com/wRNGohajtm
— NDMA India | राष्ट्रीय आपदा प्रबंधन प्राधिकरण 🇮🇳 (@ndmaindia) September 17, 2024
The main objective is to foster discussions on available technologies and simulate emergency situations to test the roles and responsibilities of key disaster managers. Participants will also benefit from domain experts sharing insights on the latest trends in disaster relief. Given the increasing frequency and intensity of disasters driven by climate change, revisiting our training and preparedness approaches is crucial. Recent incidents like the Wayanad landslide and floods in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana highlight the urgency.
Key stakeholders, including NDMA, SDMAs, Indian Army, paramilitary forces, and research institutes, will drive continuous learning and best practice exchanges. Participants will include representatives from central ministries overseeing disaster management, such as railways, transport, civil aviation, health, environment, and climate change. Early warning agencies like the India Meteorological Department (IMD), National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Central Water Commission (CWC), and Forest Survey of India (FSI) will also participate, marking one of the first exercises to bring together such a diverse range of stakeholders.
The exercise will address contemporary disaster issues, including tsunamis, landslides, floods, forest fires, and cyclones. It will also review lessons from 2023-24 disaster relief operations, the role of technology in disaster management, the economic costs of disasters and vulnerabilities in the southern states/UTs.
The Integrated Symposium cum Table Top Exercise “Ex Aikya” serves as a critical platform for knowledge exchange, capacity building and strategic planning. NDMA aims to strengthen disaster resilience through multi-agency collaboration and the shared expertise of all participants.
