Department of Information and Public Relations

Press Release No. 666/18

INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR DISASTER REDUCTION OBSERVED IN SHILLONG

As part of the International Day for Disaster Reduction observation, a Simulation Planning and Exercise (Mock Drill) was conducted today for Civil Hospital, Shillong. The exercise was organised by the District Disaster Management Authority, (DDMA), East Khasi Hills, Shillong and conducted by Civil Hospital Shillong under the aegis of the USAID-MHA-UNDP partnership project titled “Developing Resilient Cities through Risk Reduction in the context of Disasters and Climate Change”. The objective of the exercise was to test the Disaster Management Plan of Civil Hospital and further strengthen it by identifying areas of improvement. The exercise was conducted by simulating an earthquake scenario of magnitude 8.5 on Richter scale which Civil Hospital, Shillong activated the Hospital Disaster Management Plan (HDMP). During the mock drill, the hospital disaster management team carries out different search and rescue operations as per the SOPs laid out in the HDMP. A mock drill was followed by a debriefing session whereby the observers drawn from NEIGRIHMS, Bethany Hospital and Directorate of Health Services analyzed the mock drill and gave their feedback on the exercise which focused mainly on the areas of improvement. The exercise was also attended by the officials of the District Disaster Management Authority, East Khasi Hills, Shillong, United Nations Development Programme, Shillong and other hospitals of the city such as Children’s Hospital, Woodland Hospital, Nazareth Hospital, Reid Chest Hospital, Roberts Hospital and Ganesh Das M&C Hospital.

Press Release No. 667/18

TRAINING PROGRAMME ON ROLE OF MEDIA IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT

A Training Programme on Role of Media in Disaster Management was held today at Pinewood Hotel, Shillong. The programme was organized by the Meghalaya State Disaster Management Authority in collaboration with the Directorate of Information & Public Relations, Government of Meghalaya and the Shillong Press Club. Meghalaya Minister for Revenue & Disaster Management, Shri Kyrmen Shylla graced the inaugural programme as Chief Guest. Addressing the inaugural programme, Shri Shylla said that media has a pivotal role in disseminating vital information to the public during disasters and post disasters. Stating that in the present era where social media has become a powerful tool of communication, it allows the media to stay updated and disseminate information of the concerned areas which are affected during disasters thereby enabling the masses to have firsthand information about the situation. The Minister also hoped that the training programme will go a long way in sensitizing the media in disaster risk reduction and will further add to the capacity building of the media thus enabling them to response more effectively during and after the disaster.

Others who spoke during the inaugural programme include Smti I. Mawlong, Executive Director, Meghalaya State Disaster Management Authority, Government of Meghalaya, Shri R. Nongkhlaw, Deputy Director, Directorate of Information & Public Relations, Government of Meghalaya, Shri S. Bordoloi, Consultant, SDMA, Government of Meghalaya, Shri Snehasis Sur, Senior Journalist and President, Kolkata Press Club and Shri David Laitphlang, President, Shillong Press Club. The inaugural programme was followed by a training programme where Shri Snehasis Sur, Senior Journalist and President, Kolkata Press Club as the Resource Person delivered a lecture on “Disaster Management, Disaster Reporting and Crisis Communication”, which was followed by Open Forum, Brainstorming and Idea Generation.