Dehradun: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday virtually addressed a one-day workshop on Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee.
The Chief Minister said that the workshop would involve in-depth discussions on important topics such as disaster risk reduction, disaster preparedness, early warning systems, and community participation. Solid strategies would also be developed to strengthen technological innovation, research collaboration, and partnerships.
The Chief Minister said that the suggestions received from this workshop would prove useful for Uttarakhand and the entire Himalayan region. Referring to the natural disasters such as earthquakes, landslides, cloudbursts, heavy rainfall, avalanches, and forest fires that occur due to the geographical location of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, he said that their adverse effects can be minimized through a scientific approach, timely preparation, and collective efforts.
The Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the 4P mantra (Predict, Prevent, Prepare, Protect) for disaster risk reduction, and work is being done on a 10-point agenda based on this. The Chief Minister said that the state government is continuously working on disaster preparedness, AI-based warning systems, digital monitoring systems, a glacier research center, drone surveillance, GIS mapping, satellite monitoring, rapid response teams, a forest fire early warning system, and a forest fire management action plan. This is being done by establishing better coordination between the Disaster Management Department, Forest Department, NDRF, SDRF, and local administration.
The Chief Minister appreciated the contribution of IIT Roorkee, saying that the institute has played a leading role in the development of an earthquake early warning system. The state government is working with IIT to expand this system, map landslide-prone areas, and develop flood early warning systems. The Chief Minister said that many initiatives are being undertaken in the state for environmental balance, including tree plantation, water conservation, and solar energy. The Spring Rejuvenation Authority (SARA) is working towards water conservation and management.
The Chief Minister urged the people of the state to focus on building safe homes and infrastructure and called upon the authorities to ensure compliance with safety standards. Present on the occasion were Zonal Coordinator, Pragya Pravah, Bhagwati Prasad Raghav, Director, IIT Roorkee Prof. K.K. Pant, Deputy Director, IIT Roorkee, Prof. U.P. Singh, Prof. Sandeep Singh, and scientists from various states.
