Himachal to constitute Disaster Management Authority

Shimla, Nov 20 (UNI) The Himachal Pradesh government will constitute a state level Disaster Management Authority, comprisina experts and professionals to advise the government on disaster management.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said. Holding discussions with a team of the National Disaster Management Authority, headed by its member Prof N Vinod Chandra, which called on him here, Mr Singh said said that all the hilly areas were prone to one or the other disasters and a need had emerged to create a separate Authority to advise the government on taking precautionary measures.

The Chief Minister said that the state government would be adopting the Disaster Management Act, enacted by the Union Government with modifications to suit the local conditions.

Refering to the Kangra earthquake of 1905 in which thousands had died, he said that although no such disastrous earthquake had been reported thereafter but mild tremors continue to hit the state. He said that precautionary measures were in place as the state fell in the seismic zone and was prone to earthquakes.

The government was adopting a strict approach as far as consturction activities were concerened and all had been advised to design and develop earthquake resistant buildings, he said.

Mr Singh said that the unprecedented flooding in the Sutlej river in the past had caused havoc causing damage to life and propert besides washing away dozens of bridges and roads. He said that the origin of the flooding was identified to be at Parechoo river originating from China. He said that thereafter the state took up the matter with the Chinese through the Union Government besides keeping a satellite vigil over the developments taking place in Chinese territory.

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