Uttarakhand: Mock excise for successful operation of Chardham Yatra and better disaster management under the supervision of NDMA and SDMA

NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority) for successful operation of Chardham Yatra starting on 22nd April in Uttarakhand and modification of Disaster Management System for better disaster management in the state, better coordination and effective communication between all stakeholders, maximum use of latest technology , Use of drones and GIS mapping of all resources including drones, use of satellite imagery during disasters like earthquakes, all hospitals in the state to modify their emergency systems in view of disasters, hospitals to increase their surge capacity, hospitals to have an effective disaster response Suggestions have been given for adopting the management plan. NDMA has suggested that for better management of disasters in the state, two-way dialogue has to be established for effective communication between various stakeholders. Along with this, NDMA suggests that the number of passengers or real time information on various travel routes during the Char Dham Yatra should be updated and displayed every 24 hours. Pilgrims coming on Chardham Yatra should be made aware of the possible health problems during the yatra. NDMA stressed on action based plan for better management of disasters. Along with this, suggestions were also given for arranging relief camps with basic facilities well in advance. During Char Dham Yatra and management of disasters, traffic control, crowd management, provision of additional bridges at various disaster-prone places of Char Dham were also talked about.

Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) in collaboration with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government of India successfully conduct Chardham Yatra 2023 which is going to start on 22nd April and mock exercise of disaster management on Thursday at Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Pauri, Successfully operated in Tehri, Haridwar and Dehradun districts. Secretary Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority Dr. Ranjit Kumar Sinha and NDMA member Major General Sudhir Behl reviewed the entire table top exercise and mock exercise with state administration, district administration, NDRF, SDRF, ITBP and other concerned high officials. After the mock exercise, suggestions for good practices, challenges and better disaster management were invited from the concerned district administration and the observer deployed by NDMA during the mock exercise.

Secretary Disaster Management Dr. Ranjit Kumar Sinha directed the drinking water department to immediately prepare a DPR and send it to the government for the renovation of tanks made to fill water tanks at various places in the state to deal with fire-related disasters. Along with this, Secretary Dr. Sinha asked all the concerned District Magistrates to use the best and latest resources for disaster management. He also talked about silent mock excise soon to improve disaster management.

Earthquake today in Kharadi in Tehsil Barkot of district Uttarkashi, stampede in Jankichatti, accident of a bus in river in Nalopali, earthquake tremors were felt in GIC Tapovan of district Chamoli, whose magnitude was 5.0 on the Richter scale, in Chatwapeepal of Joshimath Bus accident, fire in Gopinath Temple Gopeshwar, landslide in Chacha Bhatija Narendra Nagar of district Tehri, some passengers stranded due to landslide near Bagwan in Kirtinagar, 3-4 children stranded in Saung river in Maldevta of Dehradun district, Stampede at Rishikesh Bus Stand, Earthquake tremors felt in Dungripanth, Tehsil Srinagar of District Pauri, Some people got buried due to stampede in Pauri Dhari Devi and 04 people drowned in some river and 15 people got injured. Mock exercise of disaster management was done. Search and rescue operations were carried out in all the mock exercises.

On this occasion Major General Sudhir Behl, Member NDMA, Inspector General SDRF Smt. Riddhim Aggarwal, I.R.S. Expert V.B. Senior officers of Army, Police, NDRF, SDRF, ITBP, Health, Public Works Department, Tourism Department were present along with Enumerator.