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The Himachal Pradesh has suffered an estimated Rs 800-1,000 crore in losses due to monsoon-triggered disasters this season, even as the state has put in place a fully integrated disaster response mechanism with "top class" preparedness, Special Secretary of Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (HPSDMA) Pushpinder Rana said on Thursday.
Speaking to ANI, Rana said the state government had completed high-level preparedness meetings well in advance of the monsoon, with all Deputy Commissioners receiving necessary directions and support. He said district administrations are being provided immediate assistance based on their requirements to ensure a swift response to any emergency. "Our disaster preparedness is top class; the entire response system is fully activated," said Pushpinder Rana "Every department and every agency involved in disaster management is working in an integrated manner to respond to any emergency across Himachal Pradesh," Rana added. He said the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) has adopted advanced digital tools that enable authorities to receive reports of any disaster from any corner of the state within seconds. "Whenever an incident occurs anywhere in Himachal Pradesh, we receive the first incident report almost immediately, along with photographs and videos. Our team analyses the information at the State Emergency Operations Centre and activates first responders and field officers without delay," he said. Rana said the technology has significantly improved response time and strengthened coordination among departments during emergencies. Giving an assessment of the damage caused by the ongoing monsoon, Rana said several districts have witnessed heavy rainfall, landslides, flash floods and cloudbursts, resulting in widespread destruction. "Kangra has witnessed major damage, while Chamba has also been affected. There have been several landslides and cloudburst incidents. Houses have been damaged in affected areas, and we are carrying out a detailed loss assessment," he said. According to Rana, the estimated expenditure required for recovery and reconstruction has already reached between Rs 800 crore and Rs 1,000 crore, although the assessment is still underway. He said Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is expected to visit Kangra in the coming days to review the situation and relief measures. The state government will extend all possible assistance to affected families, while support from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) will also be sought wherever necessary. On disaster response deployment, Rana said National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have already been pre-positioned in vulnerable districts. "Deputy Commissioners have been empowered to requisition additional NDRF or SDRF teams whenever required. Representatives of both forces are stationed at our State Emergency Operations Centre, making it a fully integrated disaster management system," he said. He added that all line departments, including health, police, public works, electricity and water supply agencies, are working in close coordination to restore normalcy at the earliest. Providing an update on infrastructure damage, Rana said nearly 150 roads were blocked in the latest assessment. In addition, several electricity distribution transformers (DTRs) and drinking water supply schemes have also been affected. "Restoration work is being carried out every day. We are continuously directing the concerned departments to restore roads, power and water supply on priority so that people face minimum inconvenience," he said. Rana also highlighted the state's indigenously developed disaster reporting mobile application, saying it is helping authorities receive real-time field inputs even from remote areas with poor internet connectivity. "The application allows users to capture photographs and videos even without internet connectivity. Once network becomes available, the data can be uploaded instantly, after which our operations centre is immediately alerted, and response mechanisms are activated," he said. The application also enables officials to analyse photographs and videos, correlate them with satellite imagery and Google Earth, and assess the extent of damage more accurately. "So far, dozens of incident reports have been received through the application. It has become an effective tool for reducing reporting delays and improving situational awareness," Rana said. He said the application has been developed entirely in-house by the Department of Science and Technology without hiring any external consultants. "This is the first initiative of its kind. We have even presented it at a BRICS platform, and we believe it has the potential to be adopted beyond India as well," Rana added. (ANI)
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