Seminar focuses on war disaster management

A Desh Prem Awareness Seminar aimed at strengthening War Disaster Management was held today in District Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar under the guidance of ADC Rajiv Verma and with the support of the District Administration. The seminar saw the active participation of voluntary social workers committed to enhancing disaster preparedness during times of conflict.

Key figures such as District Sports Officer Vandana Chauhan, seminar convener Ashwani Joshi, Professor GS Sandhu, Gurcharan Arora, Councilor Kulwant Kaur, Bahadur Chand Arora, Inderpal Dhal, Vasudev Pardesi and Aruna Sharma played a central role in organising the event. Nawanshahr Improvement Trust Chairman Satnam Singh Jalwaha also contributed as a volunteer, reaffirming the government’s commitment to disaster management preparedness.

The seminar covered various aspects of war disaster management, with inputs from AYUSH Department’s Dr Shubh Kaamna and several other local leaders including Councilor Kulwant Kaur, Aruna Sharma, Mohit Dhal, Lalit Ori, Sukhwinder Singh Toor, Gurjeet Singh Toor, Parwinder Batra and Deepak Kumar.

Ashwani Joshi, who is also a Navy Veteran, elaborated on the importance of disaster management during war, stressing that it plays a critical role in addressing humanitarian needs. He discussed key areas such as emergency response, providing immediate assistance like food, shelter and medical care, ensuring civilian protection and coordinating with various stakeholders including government agencies, NGOs and international organisations. He also highlighted the importance of managing the logistics of aid distribution and providing mental health support to conflict-affected individuals.

Nodal Officer Vandana Chauhan emphasised that the seminar’s team of 70 volunteers, drawn from both government and non-government organisations, would be expanded to form a district-level team. This initiative aims to strengthen the civil defense system in the district. Chauhan also expressed satisfaction with the success of the seminar, which was conducted under the guidance of Deputy Commissioner Ankurjit Singh and reassured that continued efforts would be made to prepare for any disaster. Convener Ashwani Joshi mentioned that additional helpline numbers would soon be announced to further assist in disaster management.

Jalandhar