Sunil Chadha
Gaggal (Dharamshala): – In a serious appeal during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Himachal Pradesh, Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena provided a detailed briefing on the escalating crisis of natural calamities in the hill state, warning of grave implications unless urgent action is taken.
Saxena, in a high-level meeting with a central multi-sectoral team led by NDMA adviser Col K.P. Singh, outlined the rapidly increasing frequency and severity of disasters — including cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslides — influenced by climate change and burdening the fragile Himalayan ecosystem.
“Hilly states face unique challenges in disaster preparedness, response, and rehabilitation,” he said, urging the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the central government to develop targeted mitigation strategies.
Earlier, Saxena convened a top-level state disaster management meeting to accelerate essential service restoration. He directed departments responsible for water, roads, electricity, and telecommunications to operate on a war footing. He emphasized the importance of enforcing the Disaster Management Act’s emergency protocols and ensuring swift operations across government departments.
The combined efforts are part of a broader coordinated response to the state being declared entirely disaster-hit, with over 10,000 pilgrims stranded during the Manimahesh Yatra rescued, and preliminary damage estimates reaching ₹3,560 crore.
Saxena’s briefing underscores the urgent need for systemic reform. Alongside setting up a dedicated flood forecasting unit, he has championed scientific monitoring of glacial lakes and real-time hydrological surveillance in collaboration with the Central Water Commission.
As Prime Minister Modi conducted an aerial assessment of the flood-hit areas in Mandi and Kullu, Saxena’s inputs helped shape the Centre’s understanding of the terrain’s vulnerabilities. The central government promptly announced ₹1,500 crore in aid and urged expedited rebuilding measures.
In sum, the briefing reaffirmed Himachal’s emphasis on transitioning from reactive disaster relief to proactive climate resilience, demanding faster, more tailored disaster policies for India’s Himalayan regions.
