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SDRF training institute to come up in Palampur: CM Sukhu
CM Sukhu said the state government is spending significant amounts of money to raise public awareness about disaster preparedness and has implemented several measures to mitigate the effects of disasters
Himachal chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday announced that a state disaster relief force (SDRF) training institute will be established in Palampur and that the state is strengthening its infrastructure for better weather forecasting.
Sukhu said this while presiding over the International Disaster Reduction Day event, ‘Samarth-2024’. “The climate change has led to an increase in the frequency of disasters, making it crucial to adapt to living with these challenges. Awareness is the key to effectively facing disasters and minimising the loss of life and property,” he said.
The CM said the state government is spending significant amounts of money to raise public awareness about disaster preparedness and has implemented several measures to mitigate the effects of disasters. He said that the state government must remain prepared to tackle future disaster challenges.
To this end, an ₹800-crore project is being executed in collaboration with the French agency AFD, and ₹500 crore are being spent from the mitigation fund, he added.
Sukhu said the state experienced its first major disaster in 1905, when an earthquake in Kangra district claimed over 20,000 lives. He said that the people of the state experienced significant devastation last year during the monsoon season, with over 500 lives lost and damages amounting to ₹10,000 crore.
Despite receiving ‘no assistance’ from the Centre, the state government rehabilitated 23,000 affected families and implemented a disaster relief package of ₹4,500 crore, Sukhu said.
