Rapid response, inter-departmental coordination and advance preparedness are critical during emergencies such as floods, fire accidents and industrial disasters: Revenue minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy
HYDERABAD: Revenue minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy on Monday said protecting lives and property is the primary responsibility of the government. As part of this, state-wide disaster management mock exercises were conducted across Telangana. The minister inspected the large-scale flood drill organised at the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) Ground near PVNR Marg.
Senior officials participated, including disaster management department secretary Harichandana Dasari, State Disaster Response and Fire Services DG Vikram Singh Mann, HYDRAA commissioner A.V. Ranganath, NDMA lead consultant Major General (Retd.) Sudhir Bell and others.
The minister said rapid response, inter-departmental coordination and advance preparedness are critical during emergencies such as floods, fire accidents and industrial disasters. He emphasised that preparedness prevents loss of life and property, citing massive state-wide mock exercises on floods, forest fires and industrial accidents.
He noted that the first hour of any disaster is crucial, with actions taken during the ‘golden hour’ saving lives. Mock drills, he said, are vital for safe evacuation, swift rescue and effective coordination of emergency services.
Referring to the 1908 Hyderabad floods and recent Godavari and Krishna floods, he said history shows the damage caused by lack of preparedness. He stressed the need for modern technology, advanced equipment and trained rescue teams to protect lives.
Expressing concern over forest fires and rising urban fire accidents, the minister said Telangana is studying global rescue and disaster response systems to strengthen its mechanism.
During the drill, specialised teams demonstrated inflatable life boats, advanced rescue techniques, emergency evacuation and coordinated operations. The minister later visited the Boating Club on PVNR Marg to review rescue activities.
He commended the large-scale exercises and appreciated the efforts of the NDRF, SDRF, disaster management department and district officials. Authorities appealed to the public not to panic, as these were mock drills, and stressed that only responsible, verified information should be disseminated through media and social platforms.
