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Urgent need to study rising incidents of cloudbursts: Himachal CM
While presiding over the ninth meeting of the state disaster management authority, the chief minister expressed concern over the rising incidents of cloudbursts in the state and said that the matter was also raised with the Union home minister
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Monday said that disasters pose the biggest challenges for the future and finding a way to combat the adverse effects of climate change was a pressing concern for humanity.
While presiding over the ninth meeting of the state disaster management authority, the chief minister expressed concern over the rising incidents of cloudbursts in the state and said that the matter was also raised with the Union home minister.
The chief minister said that over the past few days Mandi district recorded 123% excess rains, causing widespread devastation in the district, whereas, Shimla district got 105% excess rainfall. He said that recently 19 cloud bursts have occurred causing significant losses to human lives and properties. The present state government was making all-out efforts to rehabilitate and provide relief to the affected families.
He said that unscientific muck dumping was leading to damages and stressed on a scientific mechanism for its disposal to prevent further damages.
Sukhu directed the SDMA to issue regular weather updates to the public and to counter misinformation circulating in social media and said that SDMA was the sole authority to issue alerts and urged the people to rely only on the official information.
He said that safe construction activities should be promoted and people must construct their houses at least 100 metres away from the rivers and rivulets.
The CM said that the state government was strengthening the SDRF and a new campus was being set up at Palampur in Kangra district. The State Institute of Disaster Management would be established at Dr Manmohan Singh Himachal Institute of Public Administration, Shimla, while Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, would carry out research and development work. He also directed a study on high risk glacial lakes and rope in the local community to raise awareness.
He said that disasters have now become frequent phenomena and in 2023 Himachal Pradesh suffered significant losses during the monsoon season, affecting thousands of people. He said that ₹1,260 crore were disbursed to the district administrations and various departments for carrying out relief and rehabilitation operations. Additional ₹138 crore were also provided under the mitigation fund.
The chief minister said that ₹891 crore disaster risk reduction project was being implemented under which strengthening of the HPSDMA and the DDMAs would be done along-with fortifying disaster preparedness through effective early warning system and supporting mitigation measures, which would be completed in March, 2030.
