October 19, 2019

2 days Regional workshop on “ Challenges of Disaster Risk Reduction in Hill Towns of North Western Himalayas”


Vijyender Sharma

SHIMLA------------Considering the higher vulnerability of the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) to one or the multiple hazards, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Ministry of Home Affairs(GoI) has planned to convene two regional workshops across the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) with the objective to sensitize and mainstream the different stakeholders of the Himalayan States and come up with specific recommendations/solutions to reduce vulnerabilities. The first such workshop was organized for northeastern region at Sikkim, whereas the second for the Northwestern and Central Himalayan region is being organized at Shimla

Government of Himachal Pradesh through HP State Disaster Management Authority (HPSDMA) and  HP Council for Science Technology & Environment(HIMCOSTE) is organizing Regional Workshop on Challenges of Disaster Risk Reduction in Hill Towns" for the stakeholders of Uttrakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Union Territory of   Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh at Shimla on 22-23 October 2019 at Hotel Holiday Home. The workshop is being organsied with the objective to discuss the issues the hill towns are facing with respect to Disaster Risk Reduction and to come out with specific solutions/plans to deal with such challenges. The workshop will be attended by the practitioners, administrators, researchers, technocrats and policy makers. The discussions and deliberations will mainly focus on the following broad themes.

·         Geological Hazards

·         Atmospheric & Hydro-meteorological

·         Institutional preparedness

·         State Government Initiatives and the experience sharing in Disaster Management.

In the two days workshop, about 50 participants comprising senior officers from the State of Uttrakhand, Jammu & Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh are likely to participate, besides a large delegation of officers from the State of Himachal Pradesh. Sh.D.C.Rana, Director –cum-Spl. Secretary (Rev-DM) informed that Hon'ble Chief Minister, Himachal Pradesh has agreed to be the Chief Guest on this occasion and would inaugurate the workshop at Hotel Holiday Home on 22nd October 2019 at 9.30AM and would address the officers from these Himalayan States. Sh.Kamal Kishore ,Hon'ble Member National Disaster Management Authority(NDMA), Ministry of Home Affairs ,Govt of India has agreed to be the Guest of Honour  on this occasion and would deliver the Key Note Address during the inaugural session. Hon'ble Minister (UD) Himachal Pradesh, Smt Sarveen Chaudhary has also agreed to be the Guest of Honour on this occasion.

Director-cum Spl. Secretary (Rev) further informed that the two days workshop has been designed in such a manner that there will be four technical sessions on Hazard Vulnerability & Risk Assessment, Improving Compliance with Building Bye-laws in Hill Towns, Disaster Mitigation and Preparedness and Improving Disaster Response and Recovery. Eminent Scientists from different institutions like NGRI Hyderabad, GSI Chandigarh, NIT Hamirpur, IIT Madras, Bombay & Mandi, IMD New Delhi and State Disaster Management Authorities of these Himalayan States will make presentations with reference to these broad areas followed by open house discussions. The outcome of the two days workshop will be  in the form various measures to mitigate the Challenges of Disaster Risk Reduction in the Hill Towns of the North-Western Himalayan States, so that the post disaster effects not only  minimized but could also save the precious human lives and the infrastructure,.

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