Lalru (SAS Nagar), December 31: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), in coordination with the District Administration, SAS Nagar, conducted a large-scale mock drill at the BPCL POL Filling Plant, Lalru, on Wednesday to assess preparedness and inter-agency coordination during industrial emergencies.
Divulging details, Deputy Commandant of the 7th Battalion, NDRF, Deepak Singh informed that a simulated emergency scenario was created during the loading of a Tank Lorry (TL) at the gantry, where product spillage occurred due to a mechanical failure and leakage in the tanker. The plant’s mechanical maintenance team immediately intervened to arrest the spillage.
However, while efforts were underway to control the leakage, a spark was generated which ignited the flammable vapours present in the surrounding area. This led to the spread of fire around the tank lorry and gantry area, posing a potential threat to nearby installations, including the adjacent LPG bottling plant.
Following the simulated incident, an emergency alarm was sounded and plant personnel were evacuated to safe locations. Simultaneously, the local civil administration sought immediate assistance from the National Disaster Response Force.
The rescue and fire containment operation was carried out successfully with the coordinated efforts of the District Administration, Punjab Police, Home Guards, Fire Brigade, plant firefighting systems, Nehru Yuva Kendra volunteers, and the Health Department team.
Tehsildar, Dera Bassi, Major (Retd.) Sumeet Singh Dhillon, who led the operation from the local administration’s side, stated that the primary objective of the mock drill was to evaluate real-time response mechanisms during major industrial accidents. He added that coordination among all stakeholders was tested and found to be satisfactory.
Deputy Commandant Deepak Singh stated that being the nodal agency for managing natural and man-made disasters, NDRF remains at the forefront of rescue and response operations. He emphasized that such mock drills form an integral part of preparedness strategies to enhance operational readiness and minimize loss of life and property during actual emergencies. During the exercise, foam and water were effectively used to control the simulated fire and prevent escalation.
He also expressed gratitude to Deputy Commissioner, SAS Nagar, Mrs. Komal Mittal, for facilitating the large-scale mock drill and ensuring seamless coordination among all participating agencies.