Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami addressed a one-day workshop on the topic of Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee, through virtual medium on Friday

The Chief Minister said that in this workshop, there will be intensive deliberations on important subjects such as disaster risk reduction, pre-disaster preparedness, early warning systems and community participation. Along with this, solid strategies will be prepared towards strengthening technical innovation, research collaboration and partnership

The Chief Minister stated that the suggestions received from this workshop will prove useful for Uttarakhand as well as the entire Himalayan regions. Mentioning the natural disasters that occur due to the geographical location of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand – such as earthquakes, landslides, cloudbursts, heavy rainfall, avalanches and forest fires – he said that their adverse effects can be reduced through a scientific approach, time-bound preparation and collective efforts.

The Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given the 4P (Predict, Prevent, Prepare and Protect) mantra for disaster risk reduction, and based on that, work is being carried out on a 10-point agenda. Chief Minister mentioned that the state government is continuously working on pre-disaster preparedness, AI-based warning systems, digital monitoring systems, a Glacier Research Centre, drone surveillance, GIS mapping, satellite monitoring, rapid response teams, forest fire early warning systems and forest fire management action plans. To achieve this, work is being done by establishing better coordination between the Disaster Management Department, Forest Department, NDRF, SDRF and the local administration.

The Chief Minister, while praising the contribution of IIT Roorkee, said that the institute has played a leading role in the development of the earthquake early warning system. The state government, with the cooperation of IIT, is working on the expansion of this system, mapping of landslide-sensitive areas and the development of flood early warning systems. The Chief Minister said that numerous works are being carried out in the state in the fields of plantation, water conservation and solar energy for environmental balance. Work is being done by the Spring Rejuvenation Authority (SARA) towards water conservation and enhancement.

The Chief Minister called upon the residents of the state to focus on the construction of safe houses and infrastructure, and urged officials to ensure compliance with safety standards.

On this occasion, Zonal Coordinator of Pragya Pravah Shri Bhagwati Prasad Raghav, Director of IIT Roorkee Prof. K.K. Pant, Deputy Director of IIT Roorkee Prof. U.P. Singh, Prof. Sandeep Singh and scientists from various states were present.