Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath laid the foundation stone of a new building of the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) here on Thursday. Speaking on the occasion, Adityanath said due to its large geographical area, Uttar Pradesh throws up numerous challenges.
"Previously, around 40 districts in the state were considered affected by floods, but we have managed to confine this danger to only four-five districts now," he said, adding that if a disaster strikes today, people have confidence that the government will provide relief.
During the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the five-storey building being constructed on 1.5 half acres of land at a cost of Rs 66.4 crore, Adityanath emphasised on disaster management and public awareness through technology.
Pointing out that Uttar Pradesh has nine different climatic zones where the threat of disasters is always present, he said, "Due to the rivers coming from the Himalayas, there is a constant risk of flooding from July to October. Lightning strikes are common in Vindhya and Bundelkhand. Western Uttar Pradesh is located in an area that is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes. The Terai region, adjacent to Nepal, is known for human-wildlife conflicts."
In order to provide relief, many areas have been brought under the purview of disaster management for the first time, the chief minister said. "Human-wildlife conflict falls under one of these categories. Additionally, work is underway to install an early warning system for lightning strikes in all districts. Several steps are being taken, such as installing a rain gauge system in every village," he said.
Adityanath released two books, three short films and a radio jingle for public awareness on the occasion and launched the Uttar Pradesh State Disaster Management Plan 2023 and the Flood Action Plan 2023 books. The chief minister also honoured Vinay Kumar, Jitendra Singh Yadav, Akhilesh Kumar Singh, Pushpendra and Manish Kumar from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
