Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr Jitendra Singh, on Sunday underlined India’s strengthened disaster preparedness efforts, particularly in the Himalayan region, while addressing the World Summit on Disaster Management in Dehradun.
The Minister announced that Uttarakhand will soon get three additional weather radars at Haridwar, Pantnagar and Auli. These will supplement the three radars already operational at Surkanda Devi, Mukteshwar and Lansdowne, enhancing real-time monitoring and early-warning capabilities in the disaster-prone state.
He said Uttarakhand is a natural and appropriate venue for a global discussion on disaster resilience due to its geographical sensitivities, lived experiences with extreme weather events and its Himalayan ecosystem. The summit saw the participation of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, senior NDMA officials, MPs, scientists, academics and disaster management experts.
Singh noted that hydrometeorological hazards in Uttarakhand have risen sharply over the past decade. Citing the 2013 Kedarnath cloudburst and the 2021 Chamoli disaster as defining moments, he said climate change, rapid glacier retreat, GLOF risks, deforestation and unplanned encroachment have heightened vulnerabilities. He added that terms like cloudburst and flash flood, earlier seldom used, have become part of daily discourse due to the increasing frequency of such events.
The Minister said the Centre has substantially expanded the state’s meteorological and disaster-monitoring infrastructure. Uttarakhand now has 33 meteorological observatories, 142 automatic weather stations, 107 rain gauges, district- and block-level rainfall monitoring systems and mobile-based alert platforms for farmers. The radio-sonde and radio-wind systems have also improved upper-air observations for more accurate forecasting. He added that the expansion of the Nowcast system, which provides three-hour predictions, will deliver timely alerts to vulnerable districts and frontline administrations.
Expressing concern over non-compliance with IMD alerts in some regions, Singh stressed the need for stricter administrative action. He referred to a recent case in Jammu & Kashmir where a newly appointed IAS officer prevented a major tragedy by closing a highway after a red alert was issued. He cautioned that illegal mining and construction along riverbeds are creating dangerous man-made vulnerabilities that intensify flash flood impacts.
The Minister said India has launched specialised Himalayan climate studies to understand triggers behind sudden cloudbursts and develop predictive indicators. He also highlighted efforts to build livelihood opportunities in Himalayan regions through agri-startups and CSIR-supported value-addition industries. Sharing examples from Jammu & Kashmir, he said many young professionals have shifted to CSIR-associated ventures due to better incomes and market linkages, and urged Uttarakhand to adopt similar models.
Singh further noted India’s growing global role in disaster resilience and technical cooperation with neighbouring countries. Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2070, he said disaster preparedness, climate adaptation and early-warning systems are essential to sustainable economic growth. Preventing economic losses, he said, is as important as generating new economic value.
He congratulated Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and the organisers for hosting the global summit, saying the insights emerging from Uttarakhand would contribute significantly to international discussions on climate resilience, disaster mitigation and sustainable development.