Successful drills mark dist's war readiness

Drills were aimed at testing disaster preparedness and inter-agency coordination

- Dheeraj Bengrut

PUNE: Pune district administration successfully conducted six coordinated mock drills under the central government's directive on Wednesday. The drills, held in both urban and rural areas—Vidhan Bhavan, Pune Municipal Corporation, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, Vanaz Industrial Area, Talegaon, and Mulshi—were aimed at testing disaster preparedness and inter-agency coordination.

Pune district collector Jitendra Dudi addressed the media at Vidhan Bhavan, one of the key drill sites, after the completion of exercises.

"These drills simulated realistic emergency conditions, covering all critical components. The exercise began with a siren, followed by a simulated explosion and tear gas dispersal. Several people were shown trapped in nearby buildings and successfully rescued by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams," he said.

Senior officials, including Pune divisional commissioner Chandrakant Pulkundwar, deputy controller of civil defence Colonel Prashant Chatur, additional commissioner Arun Anandkar, district civil surgeon Dr Nagnath Yampalle, district disaster management officer Vitthal Banote, and officers from various departments were present at the event.

The fire brigade, health department, civil defence, and other agencies worked in coordination, with emergency response times monitored at each site. Ambulances and medical teams were promptly deployed, while fire and rescue operations were executed effectively. Each mock drill was completed within 25 to 60 minutes.

"In rural locations, the drills also served as an awareness campaign. Sarpanchs, gramsevaks, and local residents participated actively, reinforcing the role of communities in disaster response," Dudi said, adding, "these were precautionary measures meant to strengthen coordination among departments and ensure readiness for real-life emergencies."