The Tri-City Mega Mock Exercise on Earthquake would be held at Shimla, Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali on 13th February, 2013 jointly by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and State Governments of Himachal Pradesh and Haryana.

Secretary, Secretariat Administration (SAD), Bharat Khera while presiding over the meeting for preparation of mock drill said that as Himachal Pradesh falls in Zone V was more vulnerable to Earthquakes and other Natural hazards. He said that the exercise would be conducted keeping in view the earthquake of Magnitude 8.5 on ritcher scale causing massive damage to life and property.

He said that the Tri-City Mega Mock Exercise would begin on 13th February at 11 AM. The Disaster Management Cell of NDMA emergency operation is being set up in the State Secretariat and incidence command system at secretariat would be activated and incidence response teams would respond in the field. Before commencing of exercise sirens would be sounded and all concerned will duck and cover themselves and all buildings will be evacuated, said he. This exercise would help in creating awareness among people regarding precautionary measure to be taken in case of any natural disaster.

The identified locations for the mock drill in Shimla will be, Deputy Commissioner, Office, Lower Bazar, High Court building and other multi-storey parking of Municipal Corporation, Hotel Combermere Lift and Krishnanagar area. The other areas includes Old Inter-state Bus Stand, Lal Pani School and Directorate of Elementary Education, IGMC and DDU Hospital, Cemetery area, Sanjauli, Auckland House school and adjoining RKMV complex, Railway Station Shimla, Ritz Cineplex and adjoining Ridge Maidan water tanks, HP Secretariat & Ayurvedic Hospital, Knolls wood, HIMUDA Residential Colony and Kasumpati Colony, HP University Library Building, Cecil Hotel, Sanitorium Hospital, Doordarshan Shimla, AIR Office, Jatogh Cantt, Armed Training Command Building & Victory Tunnel. He said that the 24 X 7 Disaster Helpline number is 1077.

He said that Information Dissemination Committee including other nine committees have constituted and a team of 36 people would be a part of Research and evacuation team. Khera requested all the people to co-operate during the mock drill exercise.