Port Blair, Oct 15: Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) conducted a Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief Exercise (HADR) code named ‘Exercise JalVinash’ on 14 and 15 Oct 2013.Towards ensuring necessary preparedness a Command level ‘paper exercise’ was conducted on06 and 07 Aug 2013 to check the response in a disaster situation. These exercises are a pre-cursor to the National Level Exercise planned in Nov 2013.
All components of the ANC – the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard were advised by CINCAN to mobilise for providing immediate assistance. Several situations were simulated to exercise contingencies that may arise across the length and breadth of the Islands. Accordingly, Relief Columns of the Army set up Relief Camps, Naval and Coast Guard ships loaded Disaster Relief Material, preparatory to reach out to affected areas, with loading undertaken at anchorage to simulate damaged jetties, aircraft of the Air Force reached out simulating mass casualty evacuation, whilst aircraft of the Coast Guard and Indian Navy undertook surveillance and reccesorties to assess damage, paving the way for follow on assistance and relief. The elite Marine Commandos and Naval divers carried out simulated underwater exercises that can be crucial in HADR scenarios.
The activities undertaken during the exercise were witnessed by the CINCAN who carried out an aerial review, including visit to Havelock to assess the promptness of the actions personally.
The exercise provided the ANC and its Components an assessment of readiness and validation of plans such that the Armed Forces can respond effectively in any scenario.
