Mock drill in Sirmaur’s Ruchira Papers tests emergency response for industrial disasters

A large-scale mock drill simulating industrial accident response was held at Ruchira Papers Ltd. in the Kala Amb industrial area of Sirmaur district. The drill, organised under the supervision of District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) Chairperson and Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Sirmaur, Sumit Khimta, aimed to improve preparedness for handling industrial emergencies, particularly fires and chemical leaks.

The exercise was coordinated by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), fire services, and local administration, along with other agencies. Before the drill, a tabletop exercise was conducted to strategise responses to industrial hazards, focusing on potential fire outbreaks involving combustible materials like paper and chemicals, common in local industries.

At approximately 11 am, the district emergency operations centre in Nahan received a simulated alert reporting a fire in the raw paper storage area of Ruchira Papers Ltd. The fire quickly escalated due to the flammable materials on-site. The scenario involved 23 workers presumed dead and around 40 employees trapped or injured within the factory premises. Upon receiving the alert, the district crisis management committee mobilised response teams from the police, fire department, home guard, health services, NDRF, and SDRF for rescue operations. Injured individuals were transported to the Medical College in Nahan for treatment. The drill concluded around 1.20 pm.

DC Khimta underscored the importance of such drills to enhance coordination among various departments and reduce losses during actual emergencies. A diverse team participated, including 20 NDRF personnel, 12 SDRF members, nine home guards, four firefighters, five health workers and three police officers. The drill also involved quick response teams, Nehru Yuva Kendra members, local Panchayat representatives, and approximately 208 employees from Ruchira Papers Ltd., with over 300 participants in total.

Following the exercise, the DC urged the industrial sector to increase awareness through training camps, on-site drills, and educational programs for disaster preparedness. Inspector Nafis Khan led the NDRF team from Nurpur, and Sub-Inspector Nazim Khan headed the SDRF team from Shimla. Key officials present included Lalit Mohan Singh, Deputy Commander of NDRF’s 14th Battalion from Nurpur, DDMA Sirmaur in-charge Rajan Kumar Sharma, industry representative Sohan Singh, and the General Manager of Ruchira Papers Ltd.

Over 300 take part

• DC Sumit Khimta underscored the importance of such drills to enhance coordination among various departments and reduce losses during actual emergencies.
• A diverse team participated, including 20 NDRF personnel, 12 SDRF members, nine home guards, four firefighters, five health workers and three police officers
• The drill also involved quick response teams, Nehru Yuva Kendra members, local Panchayat representatives, and approximately 208 employees from Ruchira Papers Ltd., with over 300 participants in total