Speakers, while highlighting the paucity of skilled hands and proper equipment, emphasised that preparedness was the key to disaster management. In his inaugural address, District Collector Anil Mukim cautioned the official agencies involved as well as the representatives of industries in general and the chemical giants in particular to be prepared against all risks.

Member secretary, Central Control Room, Petro-Chemicals Complex, B S Chadha informed the gathering about the existing infrastructure and skilled hands. He said more infrastucture was necessary as the risks increased with each passing day and more and more units came up in the area.

Addressing the gathering, Hospital superintendent Dr Kamal Pathak regretted that fact that even Gujarat the second most industrialised and fastest developing state in the country did not have a disaster hospital.

``The SSG hospital, which caters to more than five lakh patients annually, has many facilities under one roof, but the disaster-management infrastructure leaves much to be desired,'' he said.

According to him, while most of the general hospitals and the disaster mitigation and management agencies abroad conducted two mock drills a year, in India, actual disasters make a mockery of all agencies, operations and preparedness. He, however, promised to do the best to improve the conditions at SSG, so that it could work as a full-fledged disaster treatment hospital as well.

Senior Factory Inspector B P Parmar explained the wing's functioning and the legal aspects involved in an industrial mishap, while Vadodara Fire Brigade chief M K Desai spoke on the preparedness of the fire extinguishing workforce and machines.

Rural Police Superintendent Shamsher Singh urged the people to co-operate with the police during man-made or natural calamities. In the recent past, he said, the police had to forcibly evacuate people from rural areas in Saurashtra before the September cyclone hit the area.