In the wake of damage inflicted by recent cloudburst and flash floods in Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday instructed officers to carry out a study of glacial lakes at risk and ensure safe construction work. Sukhu has instructed government departments to keep their projects at least 100 meters distant from the water streams to reduce the losses. The CM also stressed on developing safe construction activities by urging individuals to construct their homes at least 100 meters away from rivers and rivulets, as per an official statement.
Natural disasters present the largest challenge to the future and fighting the negative impacts of climate change was a compelling issue for humanity, he said while chairing the 9th meeting of the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA).
Unfazed by criticism that the government was not taking measures to mitigate the severity of cloudbursts, Sukhu said all-out efforts were being made by the current state government to rehabilitate and compensate the affected families. CM Sukhu added that 19 cloudbursts have killed 14 people in the state so far during the ongoing monsoon season, inflicting huge losses on human lives and properties.
Concern regarding increasing cases of cloudbursts was also raised with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, he added.
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Ten cloudbursts in Mandi district on the night intervening June 30 and July 1 killed 14 people, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre. Eight people lost their lives in 23 flash floods and one in 16 landslides in the state and eight were killed by drowning.
He informed that now disasters have become a common phenomenon and in 2023, Himachal Pradesh witnessed heavy losses during the monsoon season and thousands of people were affected.
In the last few days, Mandi district received 123 per cent above average rains, resulting in widespread destruction in the district while Shimla district experienced 105 per cent above average rainfall, the CM added.
Sukhu instructed the SDMA to provide periodic weather reports to the public and to counteract the misinformation that was going around on social media. He added that SDMA was the only body to provide the alerts and requested the people to only trust the official information. The CM added that the state government was reinforcing the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and a new campus was being established at Palampur in Kangra district.
A State Institute of Disaster Management would be set up at Dr Manmohan Singh Himachal Institute of Public Administration, Shimla while Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla would conduct research and development activity, the statement further said.
He added that ₹891 crore disaster risk reduction project was being worked upon under which the HPSDMA and district disaster management authority (DDMAs) would be strengthened along-with enhancing disaster preparedness through efficient early warning system and complimentary mitigation measures, which would be completed in March, 2030.
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