State Government ensuring strategic steps to ensure rapid and resilient response to future challenges: Chief Minister

To enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the emergency response system, the present State Government is diligently working to strengthen the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). In this effort, the State Government has taken two important decisions. Firstly, the entire response framework will be unified under Additional Director General of Home Guards and Civil Defence, ensuring a coordinated approach to any emergency or disaster management. Secondly, Home Guards will be assigned to SDRF for a period of two years reinforcing the system’s capacity and resilience.

Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu stated, “The State Government is prioritizing to strengthen the SDRF in the pretext of increasing the frequency of cloudbursts and other natural disasters. The State Government intends to make the system more organized and effective to safeguard lives and reduce losses. Himachal Pradesh is vulnerable to landslides, avalanches and earthquakes and other natural disasters and the State Government is taking these risks with utmost seriousness.”

The Chief Minister held a meeting on 1^st August, 2024 following the cloudbursts in Mandi, Kullu and Shimla districts and directed the senior officers to enhance the effectiveness of the emergency response system. He emphasised the need for unified actions from all response agencies to minimize losses and save lives.

Shri Sukhu remarked that natural disasters have immediate and  lasting impacts on people’s livelihoods. He said that the economy of Himachal Pradesh heavily relies on tourism and natural disasters deter tourists adversely affecting local business and livelihood. He said that disasters also damage vital infrastructure which can take a long time to rebuild, thus hindering the economic pace of the State. The loss of agricultural land due to the floods and landslides also impacts the income of the farming community. He further said that the State Government is taking necessary steps to mitigate these challenges and also focusing on strengthening the early warning system, improving the infrastructure resilience and raising community awareness.  He said that each disaster brings new challenges that strain the State’s infrastructure, disrupt local communities and also impact the environment. Therefore, it is highly important to ensure a better emergency response system and the State Government will leave no stone unturned to minimize the losses and protect the people of the State.

The Chief Minister said, “Recognizing the growing threats of cloudbursts and other natural disasters, the State Government is implementing the strategic steps to ensure a rapid, unified and resilient response to the future challenges.”