National Symposium ‘Exercise AIKYA’ on Disaster Management

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), in collaboration with the Southern Command of the Indian Army, is organized a two-day national symposium, ‘Exercise AIKYA’, on disaster management.

Aim

It aims to improve disaster preparedness and response through collaboration between various stakeholders.

About AIKYA

• 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)
• Forest Survey of India (FSI)
• Geographical Survey of India (GSI) 
• Department of Telecommunications (DoT)

Organized By

• It was jointly organized by the,
• National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
• Indian Army Southern Command
• The Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority (TNSDMA)

Location

The event took place at the Headquarters of the Dakshin Bharat Area.

Focus Areas

• The event facilitated discussions on recent disaster management trends, technologies, and lessons learned from previous operations.
• Disaster scenarios including tsunamis, landslides, floods, cyclones, industrial incidents, and forest fires, with a focus on recent events in Tamil Nadu, Wayanad, and Andhra Pradesh, were addressed.
• Key discussions included the use of AI and technology in disaster management, the economic impact of disasters, vulnerabilities specific to the region, and strategies to reduce response times.

NDMA Info

• The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is the apex statutory body for disaster management in India.
• The NDMA was formally constituted on 27th September 2006, in accordance with the Disaster Management Act, 2005 with the Prime Minister as its Chairperson and nine other members, and one such member to be designated as Vice-Chairperson.

Functions and Responsibilities of NDMA

• Approve the National Disaster Plan
• Lay down policies on disaster management
• Approve plans prepared by Ministries or Departments of the Central Government in accordance with National Plan
• Lay down guidelines to be followed by State Authorities in drawing up State Plan
• Coordinate enforcement and implementation of disaster management policy and plan