Ahmedabad, Nov 21 (IANS) A state-level review meeting on oil and chemical disaster management was held in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar under the chairpersonship of Additional Chief Secretary Jayanti Ravi.
The Collectors of Jamnagar, Devbhumi Dwarka, Kutch, Bharuch and Surat joined the meeting through video conference.
Organised jointly by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA) under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, mock drills on oil and chemical emergency response were conducted across districts with major refineries and chemical hubs.
The state-level review was held at the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) to assess preparedness.
During the review, Ravi sought detailed reports from district collectors on the mock drills carried out at key industrial locations in Jamnagar, Dwarka, Kutch, Bharuch and Surat.
She guided officers on strengthening coordination, response mechanisms and preparedness for any future industrial disaster.
The primary objective of the mock drill was to assess the state’s readiness for swift response in case of accidents in oil and chemical industries, evaluate inter-departmental coordination, and test the effectiveness of manpower and equipment.
As Gujarat is a heavily industrialised state, robust preparedness for emergencies — especially in regions housing large refineries, chemical clusters and storage terminals such as Jamnagar, Hazira, Vadinar and Kandla — is critical.
Officials from NDMA, GSDMA, SEOC, NDRF, SDRF, various defence forces, line departments and associated agencies attended the meeting.
Collectors of Jamnagar, Dwarka, Kutch, Bharuch and Surat briefed the state administration on the conduct and outcomes of the district-level mock drills through video conferencing.
The state’s coastline and industrial corridors house refineries, petrochemical units, chemical manufacturing plants, LNG terminals, and storage facilities, making it a critical centre for India’s energy and chemical economy.
With high-density industrial activity, Gujarat faces elevated risks of oil spills, chemical leaks, and industrial accidents, prompting continuous focus on strict safety protocols, mock drills, inter-agency coordination, and disaster preparedness to safeguard workers, infrastructure, and coastal ecosystems.
–IANS
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