Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, May 21 

The Srinagar district administration on Wednesday conducted a table-top exercise and practical demonstration of emergency response equipment to review preparedness for fire and flood disasters, officials said.

The exercise, held at the Deputy Commissioner’s office premises in Srinagar, was aimed at assessing coordination among departments and strengthening operational readiness during emergencies.

Deputy Commissioner Srinagar and Chairman of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Akshay Labroo, chaired the programme, which was attended by senior officials from disaster management, civil administration and emergency response agencies.

Among those present were Director Disaster Management Jammu and Kashmir Aasish Kumar, Additional District Development Commissioner Srinagar Rifat Aftab Qureshi, Additional Deputy Commissioner Mir Imtiyaz Ul Aziz, Additional District Magistrate and Chief Executive Officer DDMA Srinagar Aadil Fareed, and SDRF Commandant Masroor Ahmad.

Addressing the gathering, Labroo stressed the importance of preparedness exercises to strengthen disaster response capabilities and ensure timely action during emergencies.

“Disasters often occur without prior warning, and preparedness in terms of manpower, machinery and emergency response capacity is the only effective way to minimise losses and respond efficiently during crisis situations,” he said.

He said coordinated planning and efficient deployment of resources were essential for safeguarding lives and property during disasters.

During the event, disaster-response equipment kits were distributed to tehsildars across the district to improve preparedness at the tehsil level.

Officials also handed over four high-end rescue boats to the Srinagar district administration and Srinagar Smart City, with two boats allotted to each for emergency rescue operations.

Teams from the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, Fire and Emergency Services, Civil Defence and other agencies participated in the exercise and demonstrated the use of rescue and relief equipment.

Officials said the demonstration highlighted the importance of timely response, inter-agency coordination and public safety measures during natural and man-made disasters.