In the wake of disasters wreaking havoc in Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced a major SDRF training institute to be established in Palampur.

The chief minister was presiding over an International Disaster Reduction Day event, ‘Samarth-2024’ here on Monday.

Climate change has led to an increase in the frequency of disasters making it crucial to adapt to living with these challenges, he said, adding that the state government was strengthening its infrastructure for better weather forecasting.

Sukhu said his government was spending significant amounts of money to raise public awareness about disaster preparedness and has implemented several measures to mitigate the effects of disasters. “The state government must remain prepared to tackle future disaster challenges. To this end, a Rs 800 crore project is being executed in collaboration with the French agency AFD, and Rs. 500 crore is being spent from the mitigation fund,” he informed.

“The state experienced its first major disaster in the year 1905 when an earthquake in the Kangra district claimed over 20,000 lives. The people of the state experienced significant devastation last year during the monsoon season, with over 500 lives lost and damages amounting to Rs 10,000 crore,” he said.

“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 claimed.

Under this package, compensation for completely destroyed homes has been raised from Rs 1.30 lakh to Rs 7 lakh, he said, adding that the government has amended rules to ensure compensation for families of individuals who went missing during disasters.

The chief minister 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.”

He emphasised the importance of maintaining Himachal Pradesh as a clean and green hill state and called for the involvement of all segments of society in the effort.

Sukhu reiterated the state government’s commitment to transforming the state into a Green Energy State by March 31, 2026, with a focus on harnessing renewable energy sources.

He launched the 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 CBRI Roorkee, NITTTR Chandigarh, and NIT Hamirpur. Additionally, a program titled Rebuilding Live was also launched to develop a Resilient Model Village at Gram Panchayat Bawasni in District Solan, in collaboration with 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, aligning with the goals of the AFD program. The MoU was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.