Palghar, Maharashtra: A large-scale national emergency preparedness mock drill simulating a radiation leak at the Tarapur Atomic Power Plant was successfully conducted in Palghar district. The exercise, a joint effort by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), New Delhi, and the District Disaster Management Authority, Palghar, aimed to evaluate and improve emergency response capabilities for a potential nuclear incident.
The drill involved coordinated activities across multiple locations in the district. Key officials present included Palghar District Collector Dr. Indu Rani Jakhar, Superintendent of Police Balasaheb Patil, Additional Collector Bhausaheb Phatangare, Dahanu Project Officer Vikas Khatri, Assistant Superintendent of Police Vinayak Narlay, Resident Deputy Collector Subhash Bhagde, NDMA's Lt. Gen. Saeed Husnaini, NDRF 5th Battalion Commanding Officer Santosh Singh, State Disaster Management Authority Director Satish Khadke, Secretary Mr. Pardeshi, Additional Secretary Sanjeev Rane, and District Disaster Management Officer Vivekanand Kadam, along with other department officials and staff.
The mock drill focused on preparing residents in 19 villages near the Tarapur Atomic Power Plant for a potential radiation emergency. Safety measures included the distribution of 31,381 iodine tablets to residents, temporary shelter for 940 individuals from non-concrete housing, and the relocation of 45 residents as a precautionary step.
The comprehensive exercise witnessed the active participation of several key agencies including the NDMA, State Disaster Management Authority, District Disaster Management Authority, Tarapur Atomic Power Plant, Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Civil Defence, Police Department, Home Guards, Health Department, Animal Husbandry Department, and “Aapda Mitras” (Disaster Volunteers) from Nashik and Thane.
The drill was considered a significant step towards enhancing inter-agency coordination and ensuring the readiness of all stakeholders to protect public health and safety in the event of a nuclear emergency.
