National webinar on “Lockdown Opening and Chemical Industrial Disasters” organized

– Joint venture of National Institute of Disaster Management, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India and Dada Ramchand Bakhru Sindhu Mahavidyalaya,Over 3000 participants from India and abroad

Nagpur. A national webinar on the topic “Lockdown Opening and Chemical Industrial Disasters” was organized under the joint aegis of National Institute of Disaster Management, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India (New Delhi) and Dada Ramchand Bakhru Sindhu Mahavidyalaya (Nagpur). The event was a huge success with the presence of 100 distinguished dignitaries and delegates on the Zoom platform and over 2900 participants on live YouTube streaming. Which included representatives from almost all the states of India as well as representatives from Nepal, Nigeria, Algeria, Morocco, Philippines, Qatar, Iraq, Egypt, Hong Kong, Ethiopia etc.

In the inaugural session, Shri H.R. Bakhru by his Inauguration speech, NIDM Executive Director Major General Shri Manoj Kumar Bindal by his keynote speech, Sindhi Hindi Vidya Samiti Chairman Dr. Vinky Raghwani and General Secretary Dr. I.P. Keswani and HOD, ECDRM, NIDM Prof. Anil K. Gupta, with his special address, guided the attendees. In the closing session NIDM Executive Director Major General Mr. Manoj Kumar Bindal and Officiating Principal of D.R.B. Sindhu Mahavidyalaya Dr. Santosh V. Kasbekar, presented the summary of the webinar. Shri Neeraj Bakhru, secretary, Sindhi Hindi Vidya Samiti was also present on the occasion. The guests were introduced by NIDM Consultant and Faculty Member Shri Ashish Kumar Panda and Shri Naveen Maheshkumar Agrawal, Registrar of DRB Sindhu Mahavidyalaya.

Distinguished Guests in the Inaugural Session spoke about mainstreaming disaster risk reduction in our development plans, need for safety audit and implementation of rules at ground level for keeping our chemical industries safe, skill development of workers, community awareness and participation in planning, onsite and offsite plans and their regular reviews, regular mock drills and bringing the subject of chemical industrial disaster safety measures into the graduate and postgraduate level educational curriculum etc.

Esteemed speakers for the event included Prof. Anil K. Gupta, NIDM, Shri Ashish Kumar Panda, NIDM, Dr. Shailandra Saxena, Ministry of Defence and Er. Awdhesh Kumar, Invertis University, Bareilly.

Various aspects of Chemical Hazards in our country, Existing Acts/Rules, Issues concerning safety and management of chemicals, Problems of Chemical Industries due to Lockdown and later its opening, Need for Chemical Disaster Mangement Plan, Details of hazardous chemical substances and their impact on humans and environment, new paradigms with respect to business continuity and sustainable development etc. were discussed and highlighted during the programme.

The webinar was moderated by NIDM faculty member and Program Coordinator Mr. Ashish Kumar Panda and the vote of thanks was given by the Registrar of Dada Ramchand Bakhru Sindhu Mahavidyalaya and Program Coordinator Mr. Naveen Maheshkumar Aggarwal.

Programme ended with a positivity and hope for better and safe tomorrow and that many more such fruitful programmes will be held in joint collaboration.