By Sunil Sonker
Mussoorie, 2 Jul: To prepare for potential disasters in hill areas during the monsoon season, the Mussoorie administration and the Disaster Management Department conducted a comprehensive mock drill on Wednesday. The exercise, held on the Mussoorie-LKD (LBS/LKD) road, simulated a scenario where heavy rain caused a large section of the hillside to collapse onto the road. In this hypothetical disaster, a mini-bus and a car were caught in the debris. The entire operation was led by Mussoorie SDM Rahul Anand.
The drill depicted a situation where a massive landslide trapped a mini-bus carrying 20 passengers on the road, while a car plunged into a deep gorge. Four people were inside the car; the scenario established that two died on the spot, while two others were critically injured.
Upon receiving news of the incident, all relevant departments were alerted via the control room. Within just 15 minutes, teams from the Mussoorie Police, Fire Service, 108 Ambulance service, Sub-District Hospital, Public Works Department (PWD), Forest Department, and other agencies arrived at the scene.
Mussoorie Police and Fire Service personnel were the first to arrive and took charge of the rescue operation. Assisted by the Forest Department, Fire Service personnel descended into the deep gorge using ropes and, after a strenuous effort, successfully brought the injured victims to safety. The two critically injured individuals were brought up on stretchers and transported to the hospital via 108 and Sub-District Hospital ambulances.
Meanwhile, the Public Works Department began clearing the debris scattered across the road using JCB machines to restore traffic flow. The operation, which lasted approximately three hours amidst continuous rain, tested inter-departmental coordination, rapid decision-making capabilities, and the effective use of resources. SDM Rahul Anand stated that the risk of landslides, road accidents, and other natural disasters increases during the rainy season. Keeping this in mind, the district administration and the Disaster Management Department are conducting such mock drills at various locations across Uttarakhand to ensure that relief and rescue operations can be carried out swiftly in the event of an actual disaster.
He highlighted that the most significant aspect of this exercise was the arrival of all key departments at the scene within 15 minutes of receiving the alert. The Mussoorie Police and Fire Service were the first to arrive and initiate rescue operations, followed quickly by other departments. This demonstrates that all departments are fully prepared to handle disasters.
The SDM also appealed to local residents and tourists to immediately inform the administration, police, or the disaster control room in the event of any disaster or accident during the rains, rather than panicking. He noted that timely information could play a crucial role in saving lives.
This mock drill was not merely an exercise but also conveyed the message that every monsoon brings new challenges to the mountains, and effective coordination among the administration, police, health services, fire department, and other agencies is the most powerful tool to tackle them. The exercise conducted in Mussoorie proved that, if all agencies work in coordination, the impact of even major disasters can be significantly mitigated. Several officials were present on the occasion, including Naib Tehsildar Upendra Singh Rana, Station House Officer (SHO) Devendra Chauhan, SSI Satendra Bhati, Fire Service In-charge Dheeraj Tadiyal, PWD Assistant Engineer Shivraj Lodhiyal, MDDA Junior Engineer Anurag Nautiyal, Executive Officer Rajnish Dobriyal, Garhwal Jal Sansthan Assistant Engineer Krishna Kant, and UPCL SDO Pankaj Thapliyal.
