Samarth 2024: We must learn to live with disasters, says CM Sukhu

Presiding over International Disaster Reduction Day event, 'Samarth-2024' here, he announced that a major State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) training institute will be established in Palampur

Climate change has led to an increase in the frequency of disasters, and it is crucial to adapt to living with these challenges, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Monday.

Presiding over the International Disaster Reduction Day event, 'Samarth-2024' here, he announced that a major State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) training institute will be established in Palampur.

He emphasised that awareness is key to effectively responding to disasters and minimising the loss of life and property.

The state government is spending a significant amount of money on disaster preparedness and awareness, he said in a statement issued here, adding a Rs 800-crore project is being executed in collaboration with the French agency Agence Franaise de Dveloppement (AFD), and Rs 500 crore is being spent from the mitigation fund.

The CM said the region which is now Himachal Pradesh experienced its first major disaster in 1905, when an earthquake in Kangra claimed more than 20,000 lives.

he said the state experienced significant devastation last year during the monsoon season, with over 500 lives lost and damages amounting to Rs 10,000 crore.

Despite receiving no assistance from the central government, the state government has successfully rehabilitated 23,000 affected families and implemented a disaster relief package of Rs 4,500 crore, he said.

Sukhu criticised "political interference" in disaster relief efforts, stating, "We have yet to receive the Rs 10,000 crore for the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA), although some progress has been made following my intervention. There should be no politics in such matters, and full assistance must be provided to those affected."

The chief Minister launched a State Disaster Mitigation Fund portal and introduced an Earthquake Retrofitting Program for critical buildings in Himachal Pradesh. This initiative is supported by technical expertise from the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee, National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research (NITTTR) Chandigarh, and National Institute of Technology (NIT) Hamirpur.

Additionally, a programme titled Rebuilding Live was also launched to develop a Resilient Model Village at Gram Panchayat Bawasni in District Solan, in collaboration with the Bal Raksha Bharat and Zee Enterprises Limited.

The Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (HPSDMA) also signed an MoU with CBRI, Roorkee, to enhance the skills of engineers, architects, builders, and masons across the state. As part of this collaboration, a Training and Demonstration Unit (TDU) would be established at Rait in Kangra district, said the statement.

During the event, the chief minister released two publications, 'Kavach-1' and 'Kavach-2', authored by scientists from the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee.

The chief minister further awarded Kangra and Chamba districts for being the Best Performing Districts in the state's "Creation of Task Force of Youth Volunteers for Disaster Preparedness and Response" scheme.

Earlier in the day, he inaugurated a disaster awareness exhibition at the Ridge.