Report&Pics: Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (RD)
 
Bantwal, May 15: The general public was baffled when ambulances, police interceptor special automobile, Disaster Response Force were stationed beside a newly-laid bridge at Netravati River, near B C Road, here on Monday May 14.
 
The police automobiles parked on the bridge and on the river bank, alerted the people to rush to the spot as they sensed a major mishap. The camouflaged personnel were embarked on search operation in speed boats, which indeed caused fear for the general public. Later, to their surprise, it was a mock drill to teach the general public how to deal with situations during emergency.  It was not a rescue operation. Instead, it was a live demonstration by disaster response force of National Disaster Management Authority to educate the general public to deal with natural calamities.

The rescue personnel demonstrated how to rescue drowned people by using rope, rubber tube, and plastic bottles by drowning one of their personnel.

Assistant Commandant Vikram Singh explained how a person could save himself with the help of plastic bottles and keep floating till rescue personnel come to his aid.
 
Tahsildar C H Anand Naik, circle inspector Anil Kulkarni, town council chief officer R V Jattanna, sub inspector Shekar and a large numbers of onlookers were present on the occasion.