DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) has initiated preparations for the upcoming Char Dham Yatra. In collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), a comprehensive mock drill is scheduled for April to effectively manage potential disasters and ensure the safety of pilgrims. A departmental meeting, led by Vinod Kumar Suman, Secretary of Disaster Management and Rehabilitation, was held with experts from USDMA, ULMMC, and U-Prepare to plan and discuss all aspects of the exercise.
Continuous efforts are being made by the Disaster Management Department and USDMA to address possible disasters during the Char Dham Yatra. Suman stated that a tentative schedule for the mock drill has been provided by NDMA and preparations are already underway. A meeting with various districts and associated departments will soon be conducted to finalize the arrangements.
Suman stated that under the guidance and able leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority is committed to a safe Chardham Yatra and no stone will be left unturned to ensure the safety of the passengers in case of any disaster. He said that the departments like Tourism Department, Traffic Police, Local Administration, Police Administration, Transport Department, UCADA, Public Works Department, Border Road Organization, NDRF, SDRF, Health Department, Animal Husbandry etc. have an important role in ensuring the safety of the passengers in case of any disaster during the Chardham Yatra. USDMA’s effort is to make the mutual coordination between all the departments so strong that the safety of the passengers can be ensured in a very short time in case of any disaster during the Chardham Yatra.
Suman highlighted that the response time to disasters in Uttarakhand has been steadily improving. He also noted that a mock drill was conducted last year by the NDMA and USDMA to assess preparedness for the Chardham Yatra and ensure the safety of pilgrims during potential disasters. The feedback from NDMA has been carefully analyzed, and the shortcomings identified in the previous drill will be addressed to make this year’s exercise more effective. The upcoming mock drill will incorporate suggestions from last year, aiming for enhanced readiness and a more efficient response strategy.
Customized Disaster Management Plans for Each Dham
Additional Chief Executive Officer-Administration, Anand Swaroop, proposed developing a tailored disaster management plan for each Dham to enhance preparedness. He suggested creating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all districts involved in the Char Dham Yatra. Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman confirmed that specific guidelines will be issued in the upcoming meetings with district officials.
Key Districts for Char Dham Yatra
The main districts facilitating the Char Dham Yatra include Uttarkashi, Chamoli, and Rudraprayag, while Tehri, Pauri, Haridwar and Dehradun are classified as transit districts. As per NDMA’s tentative schedule, an orientation and coordination conference will be held on April 14, followed by a tabletop exercise on April 22 and a full-scale mock drill on April 24.
The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Executive Officer-Administration Anand Swaroop, DIG (Implementation) Rajkumar Negi, Finance Controller Abhishek Anand, Joint Chief Executive Officer Md. Obaidullah Ansari, Director of ULMMC Shantanu Sarkar, and experts from USDMA, ULMMC, and U-Prepare.
