Chandigarh, April 29 – In a major step towards strengthening disaster preparedness, the Haryana government will conduct a State-level mock exercise on a flood disaster scenario on May 14, 2026, covering 13 flood-prone districts.
Financial Commissioner, Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Dr. Sumita Misra, informed here today that the exercise is being organized in coordination with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) as part of the annual State/UT mock exercise calendar for 2026–27.
According to the official communication issued by the Department of Revenue and Disaster Management, the mock exercise will be conducted in four stages to ensure comprehensive preparedness.
The first stage, Orientation and Coordination Conference, will be held on May 6, 2026, through video conferencing, involving officials and stakeholders from the State and district levels. This will be followed by a Table Top Exercise on May 12, where various response scenarios will be discussed and strategies tested. The third and most critical phase, the physical mock drill, will take place on May 14, involving active participation of all concerned agencies on the ground.
Dr. Misra stated that the exercise will be conducted in 13 identified flood-prone districts — Gurugram, Ambala, Faridabad, Fatehabad, Kaithal, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Panchkula, Panipat, Palwal, Sirsa, Sonipat and Yamunanagar.
These districts have been selected due to their proximity to rivers and canals and their geographical vulnerability to flooding, making them critical for preparedness planning.
The primary objective of the exercise is to review disaster management plans and standard operating procedures at the State, district and departmental levels. It will also focus on defining stakeholder roles under the Incident Response System (IRS) and integrating them into the overall response mechanism.
Dr. Misra said the drill will strengthen coordination among district-level emergency support functions and improve communication systems during disaster situations.
The mock exercise will also emphasize building public awareness through media, local bodies, non-governmental organizations and community participation. Authorities aim to identify gaps in resources, logistics, communication and response capacity so that corrective measures can be implemented ahead of the monsoon season, she added.
Dr. Misra highlighted that such exercises are essential to ensure that all stakeholders, from administration to emergency responders, are fully prepared to handle flood situations efficiently. The initiative is expected to enhance the State’s readiness and ensure a coordinated and timely response in the event of an actual disaster.
