Himachal govt urges central team for revised disaster relief norms in state
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Pant highlighted the importance of assessing disaster-prone areas and focusing on early forecasting of such events. Emphasis should be laid on pre-disaster planning rather than post-disaster response in order to minimise loss of life and property. There is a need for the installation of advanced sensors to improve data collection across the state, he added. Pant further emphasised the need to set up a flood forecasting unit in the state with the support of the CWC, to enhance hydrological monitoring and study glacial lakes.
The central team urged the Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment (DGRE) to provide data related to high-altitude regions and asked the GSI to focus more on the issues of sudden floods and landslides, which were the two major natural disasters occurring in Himachal Pradesh.
148 cloudbursts, 294 flash floods
In his presentation, special secretary (revenue-disaster management) D C Rana pointed out that since 2018, Himachal has witnessed 148 cloudbursts, 294 flash floods, and over 5,000 landslides. He added that districts such as Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, and Mandi are extremely vulnerable to such events. During 2023 alone, the estimated loss due to natural disasters in the state was nearly Rs 10,000 crore. Besides this, the hill state incurs a loss of Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 crore annually due to such events.
Climate change is a major factor behind the increase in cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslides, added Rana.
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