KOCHI: Even as the recent ammonia leak raises questions about the safety aspects of handling hazardous chemicals by various agencies, surprisingly, it has been around four years since the District Disaster Management Authority conducted mock drill to assess the city’s preparedness to deal with emergencies. Though the city witnessed many chemical accidents, the Disaster Management Authority has been avoiding conduct of mass mock drill for long. The last drill was conducted in 2012.
Though the Authority had proposed an onsite mock drill in the beginning of the year, in association with various institutions, it is yet to be conducted. “The platform was set for holding a mass chemical mock drill, and a meeting of representatives of the companies was called. But, we were forced to postpone it due to the election,” said Saran, an official.