ACS urges revised norms for disaster relief in Himachal

Shimla July 24

· Seeks flood forecasting unit and enhanced monitoring systems for state

A meeting of the Multi-Sectoral Central Team (MSCT), constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs to investigate the increasing incidents of natural disasters in Himachal Pradesh, was held today under the chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) K.K. Pant.

The meeting was attended by the MSCT team leader Col. K.P. Singh and members Dr. S.K. Negi, Prof. Arun Kumar, Dr. Neelima Satyam and Dr. Sushmita Joseph.

Welcoming the MSCT team, Shri Pant stated that Himachal Pradesh’s geographical conditions are different from other states, making it necessary to revise the norms related to disaster recovery and rehabilitation in the region. He stressed the need for institutions such as the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Geological Survey of India (GSI) to conduct in-depth studies on the causes of natural disasters while being stationed in the state.

He highlighted the importance of assessing disaster-prone areas and focusing on early forecasting of such events. He said that emphasis should be laid on pre-disaster planning rather than post-disaster response in order to minimize loss of life and property. He also called for the installation of advanced sensors to improve data collection across the state.

He said that the Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has also been advocating for a detailed study on the increasing incidents of cloudbursts since 2023. He further emphasized the need to set up a flood forecasting unit in the state with the support of the Central Water Commission, to enhance hydrological monitoring and to study glacial lakes.

Dr. Neeraj from DGRE-DRDO and Atul from GSI participated in the meeting virtually. The MSCT team urged DGRE-DRDO to provide data related to high-altitude regions and asked GSI to focus more on the issues of sudden floods and landslides, which were the two major natural disasters occurring in Himachal Pradesh.

Special Secretary (Revenue-Disaster Management) D.C. Rana gave a detailed presentation on various natural disasters in the state. He said that since 2018, Himachal Pradesh has witnessed 148 cloudbursts, 294 flash floods and over 5,000 landslides. He said that districts such as Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur and Mandi were extremely vulnerable to such events.

He apprised the MSCT team that during 2023 alone, the estimated loss due to natural disasters in the state was nearly Rs. 10,000 crore. Apart from this the state incurs a loss of Rs.1,000 to Rs. 2,000 crore annually due to such events. He said that climate change was a major factor behind the increase in cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides.

Senior officials from various departments of both the central and state governments were present in the meeting.