Assam's Boko becomes first from state to tap SDMF, hosts major emergency preparedness drill

Boko has emerged as the first location in Assam to utilise funds from the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF), even as it hosted a comprehensive three-day emergency management drill aimed at enhancing multi-agency coordination and rapid response capabilities.

The “Revenue Circle Level Emergency Preparedness Exercise 2025–26”, organised by the Boko Revenue Circle Office in collaboration with the Kamrup District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), concluded on Saturday at Jawaharlal Nehru College, Boko. The exercise, held from January 30 to February 1, brought together civil administration, disaster response forces, educational institutions and frontline emergency services.

The inaugural session was attended by Boko Revenue Circle Officer Dibas Bordoloi, JNC Principal Dr Tapan Dutta, and Kamrup District Project Officer (DDMA) Dr Rajiv Dutta Choudhury. Participation included teams from NCC, NSS, NDRF, SDRF, along with officials from multiple government departments operating in the Boko region.

The training programme focused on child-centric emergency preparedness, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) during disasters, search and rescue techniques, relief coordination, and immediate response protocols. A roundtable discussion on the second day saw departmental officials deliberate on preparedness strategies for both natural and man-made disasters, emphasising inter-departmental coordination.

Highlighting the critical importance of the “Golden Hour”—the first hour following a disaster—Dr Choudhury underscored that prompt rescue and medical intervention during this window can significantly reduce loss of life and property.

The final day featured a mock drill simulating an earthquake followed by an electrical short-circuit, during which police, fire services, medical teams and electricity department personnel demonstrated swift and coordinated action. A key attraction was the fire brigade’s live demonstration of high-rise rescue using an inflatable air cushion, conducted from the college’s second floor. Professor Prahlad Bharali served as the official observer for the drill.

Expressing satisfaction over the outcomes, Dr Choudhury thanked all participating agencies and stressed the need to extend similar awareness and preparedness programmes to villages and community levels. He noted that the Assam government has mandated such three-day emergency preparedness exercises across all revenue circles, with Boko hosting the concluding session among Kamrup district’s 11 revenue circles.

A major highlight of the event was the announcement that Boko has become the first in Assam to access the SDMF, with funds sanctioned for the repair and strengthening of the Boko–Upper Lampi road—a critical lifeline for several hill villages that frequently gets disrupted due to landslides.

To further reinforce disaster response infrastructure, SDRF units have been stationed at Boko and Rangia, while fire services are operational at Boko, Chaygaon and Palashbari. A dedicated fire service training centre has been set up at Chila, Amingaon, and the 1st Battalion of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been deployed at Mirza near Palashbari.

The Mirza-based NDRF unit is specially trained to respond to Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) emergencies, placing Assam among the select states with enhanced preparedness for biological and unconventional disasters. Only four NDRF battalions nationwide currently possess such specialised CBRN training.