New Delhi, Dec 2 (UNI) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday emphasized that schools with thousands of children on their rolls must be prepared to deal with any situation, be it a natural calamity or disaster.
Speaking to media on the sides of an event in a Delhi school, Gupta said the initiative Disaster Ready Schools Campaign is a very important step, and the Delhi government will work in that direction very sincerely.
As part of this campaign, the students of Delhi will not only learn about their own safety, but will also emerge as brand ambassadors of vigilance, responsibility and security awareness in the entire society, she said.
Gupta said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision is to have a disaster ready country and disaster ready cities, adding the preparedness must be like a habit and the country must move towards zero casualties during any disaster.
The CM stated that children are at the heart of this initiative, and their safety, understanding, and confidence are paramount. “Only a child who is prepared can make the right decision in any difficult situation,” Gupta said.
Therefore, schools will provide specialized training, regular practice, and essential lessons regarding disaster management to ensure that every child can protect themselves and others in a crisis situation, she added.
The CM launched the Disaster Ready School campaign at the Springdales School, Pusa Road in Delhi on Tuesday. Addressing the school children, she said the entire country needs to be prepared to withstand calamities, and the beginning of this process will commence from schools.
Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood who was also present on the occasion said: “Just as we established electronic bus depots and moved towards becoming the Electric Mobility Capital, today we are taking a major step towards making our schools the Disaster-Ready Capital.”
According to Sood, Delhi lies in Seismic Zone-4, a high-risk earthquake zone where quakes of magnitude 6.5 or more are possible.
Referring to the February 2025 event when a local earthquake of magnitude 4 at a depth of only 5 km was recorded, he stated that “It reminded us that disasters are not just news items — they can become reality anytime.”
In the first phase of the campaign, 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.
