State to have Advanced warning system to mitigate disasters

Shimla Jan 30 – Taking cognizance of the recent incident of sinking of Joshimath, in Uttrakhand, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has directed the officers of the State Government to develop an advance warning system to mitigate disasters and improve the Disaster Management Response Capacity System, a spokesperson of the state government informed here today.

This decision of the Chief Minister will go a long way in identifying the areas more prone to earthquakes and also help in prepare a detailed report of landslides and sinking zones, he said.

The Chief Minister also felt the need to strengthen the Response and Awareness System besides preparedness at the institutional and individual level. He has also directed to enhance the support being provided to the state electricity board through State Disaster Response Fund and for the necessary amendment in State Disaster Relief Manual, said the spokesperson. He has also directed for proper mapping of glaciers through new and advance technology and conducting a study of the areas more prone to earthquakes.

The State of Himachal Pradesh is known for its natural beauty, snow-capped Himalayas and exquisite landscapes that attract millions of national and international tourists every year. But this hilly state is also caught in a continuous cycle of landslides, cloudbursts and flash floods and other natural disasters.

This decision of the State Government will help in advance warning in case of national disasters and mitigate the losses due to the same, said the spokesperson.