NEW DELHI: The Delhi government, in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), has launched the “Disaster-Ready Schools Campaign”. In its first phase, about 2,082 schools have been included, through which nearly 16.5 lakh students and 60,000 teachers will be trained in disaster preparedness activities.
The initiative includes mock drills, awareness programmes, school disaster management plans (SDMP), hazard identification and mapping, installation of evacuation signage, and formation of school disaster management committees.
Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday inaugurated the campaign at a programme held at Springdales School in Pusa Road. The L-G described this initiative as an important step towards ensuring the safety and awareness of children, noting its particular relevance in the present times.
He stated that Delhi, located in Seismic Zone-IV, is highly vulnerable to earthquakes, and risks such as fire, heatwaves, and waterlogging further increase the challenges. Saxena said that this campaign aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Zero Casualty’ vision and his globally recognised ‘10-Point Agenda’, which emphasises risk management, community resilience, technology-based early warning, and institutional preparedness. Referring to the implementation plan, he informed that compliance with guidelines will be ensured through safety audits across all 5,500 schools in Delhi.
Addressing the programme, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta described children as the “brand ambassadors” of this initiative, noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi also considers the youth to be the true brand ambassadors of the nation. She said that just as children played a key role in teaching their parents not to litter during the ‘Swachhata campaign’, they will now help instil a culture of disaster preparedness in their families and communities. The CM stressed the importance of making safety a part of daily habits and adopting preparedness as a continuous practice.