Kharar, August 3:
A seven-day Yuva Aapda Mitra Yojana (Youth Disaster Friend Scheme) training programme was inaugurated at Government Polytechnic College, Khooni Majra, Kharar. The programme is being organized by the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration (MGSIPA), Punjab, in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government of India, and the Punjab State Disaster Management Authority (PSDMA). National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers from various educational institutions participated enthusiastically in the training.
The programme commenced with participant registration, followed by an inaugural session. Addressing the volunteers, the dignitaries encouraged them to actively participate throughout the training and highlighted the importance of leadership, teamwork, discipline, community service, and disaster preparedness.
The inaugural session was attended by Mrs. Shruti Agrawal, Consultant (Disaster Management), MGSIPA, Punjab; Mr. Gurbakshish Singh, NSS Coordinator, Government Polytechnic College; Mr. Kuldeep Rai; and Mr. Taran Kanodia, Assistant Registrar, PTU Campus.
In her address, Mrs. Shruti Agrawal elaborated on various aspects of disaster management, including the types and causes of disasters, risk reduction measures, preparedness strategies, and effective response mechanisms. She also explained the objectives of the Yuva Aapda Mitra Yojana, motivating students to serve as trained volunteers capable of playing a meaningful role before, during, and after disasters.
Training Coordinator Mr. Gulshan Heera conducted an interactive “Eye-Blinking” activity designed to improve participants’ alertness, concentration, and quick response abilities. This was followed by a session on disaster preparedness by Mrs. Jeevanjot Kaur, who explained early warning systems, emergency planning, safe evacuation procedures, and essential safety measures to be followed during disasters.
Another session was conducted by Mr. Yogesh Sharma on crowd management, where he emphasized the importance of effective coordination, crowd control, safe evacuation, and communication systems during emergency situations.
The training programme is being conducted by the MGSIPA Disaster Management Team, comprising Mr. Gulshan Heera (Training Coordinator), Mr. Yogesh Sharma, Mr. Sumeet Singh, Mrs. Jeevanjot Kaur, Mrs. Saloni Sharma, and Mrs. Shayna Kaur.
The first day of the programme concluded successfully with enthusiastic participation from the NSS volunteers. Throughout the seven-day training, participants will receive both theoretical and practical knowledge on the fundamentals of disaster management, disaster preparedness, risk reduction, effective emergency response, and their responsibilities towards society. The programme aims to equip young people with the skills and confidence needed to serve as responsible and capable volunteers during disaster situations.