Balrampur Conducts Disaster Management Exercise to Test Preparedness

बलरामपुर उत्तर प्रदेश | अनिरुद्ध शुक्ल

Disaster Preparedness Assessed in Balrampur Mock Drill

Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh | September 18, 2026

A comprehensive, state-level mock drill was organized in the Balrampur district of Uttar Pradesh on Friday, as directed by the State Disaster Management Authority. Under the direct supervision of District Magistrate Vipin Kumar Jain, the exercise was held across the district's three tehsils.

The primary objective of this drill was to evaluate the readiness and response capacity of the government machinery to severe emergencies, including earthquakes, industrial chemical leaks, and fire incidents. During the mock drill, a simulated scenario of a chemical leak and fire was created at the ethanol plant of the Balrampur Sugar Mill.

Response and Rescue Operations

Upon receiving the alert, Incident Commander and Additional District Magistrate (Finance and Revenue) Sandeep Kela immediately alerted senior officials. Led by District Magistrate Vipin Kumar Jain, Superintendent of Police Martand Prakash Singh, and Chief Development Officer Himanshu Gupta, teams from the SDRF, Fire Department, SSB, and the sugar mill's security forces launched a joint operation to control the situation.

As part of the exercise, approximately fifteen trapped laborers and employees were safely evacuated from the mill and provided immediate medical assistance. This demonstrated a crucial aspect of their emergency response protocol.

Raising Awareness and Preparedness

District Magistrate Vipin Kumar Jain emphasized the importance of the exercise, noting that Balrampur district falls under Zone-4 for seismic activity. He stated, "Exercises like these are extremely necessary not only to make staff aware but also to educate the general public about disaster management."

Superintendent of Police Martand Prakash Singh described the drill as a significant step towards enhancing community sensitivity, aiming to minimize casualties during real crises. Chief Development Officer Himanshu Gupta highlighted it as an effective means of modernizing available resources and improving response times.

Safety Drills Across Tehsils

The mock drill was also actively conducted in other tehsils of the district. In the Tulsipur tehsil premises, the Fire Department presented a live demonstration of fire safety measures. Meanwhile, at Mohammad Yusuf Usmani Inter College in Utraula, a drill was conducted for the safe evacuation of school children in the event of an earthquake.

During this segment, students received detailed information and training on what to do and what not to do during rescue operations. To ensure the success of this significant mock drill, Additional District Magistrate Sandeep Kela, disaster expert Arun Singh, and various Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) were appointed as nodal officers.

Several other important agencies, including the Health Department, Police, National Cadet Corps (NCC), Army, and Electricity Department, participated in this comprehensive operation. This showcased excellent coordination among various government mechanisms.