Exercise AIKYA:
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), in collaboration with the Southern Command of the Indian Army organised a two-day national symposium, ‘Exercise AIKYA’, on disaster management in Chennai.
- Aikya, meaning “Oneness” in Tamil, reflects the exercise’s aim to integrate India’s Disaster Management community.
- It brought together key stakeholders from across Peninsular India to enhance disaster preparedness and response capabilities.
- The exercise witnessed participation from six southern states/UTs: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Puducherry
- Key organizations involved : India Meteorological Department (IMD), National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Central Water Commission (CWC), and Forest Survey of India (FSI); Geographical Survey of India (GSI) and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
- It simulated emergency situations to test roles and responsibilities, fostered discussions on technologies and trends in disaster relief, and reviewed lessons from recent operations.
- It addressed issues including tsunamis, landslides, floods, cyclones, industrial incidents, and forest fires, with focus on recent events in Tamil Nadu, Wayanad, and Andhra Pradesh.
