- Home Secretary Govind Mohan reviewed GLOF and avalanche preparedness.
- Five Himalayan States/UTs presented their disaster mitigation measures.
- Centre stressed early warnings, evacuation planning and community preparedness.
- States were asked to expedite GLOF mitigation projects sanctioned in 2024.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 3rd Sept: Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan on Thursday chaired a meeting in New Delhi to review preparedness of Himalayan States and Union Territories against Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) and snow avalanches.
Chief Secretaries and State Disaster Management Authorities of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir participated in the meeting, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, National Disaster Management Authority, Central Water Commission, India Meteorological Department and Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment.
The meeting reviewed the evolving GLOF and avalanche risks across the Himalayan region, with focus on monitoring vulnerable glacial lakes and snow-covered areas, identifying high-risk locations and flow paths, strengthening early warning systems and ensuring timely dissemination of alerts.
State and Union Territory authorities presented their preparedness and mitigation measures, including community preparedness, last-mile warning systems, evacuation planning and deployment of response resources in vulnerable areas.
Focus on proactive monitoring
The Union Home Secretary stressed the need for continuous and proactive monitoring of vulnerable glacial lakes and avalanche-prone areas, particularly during periods of heightened risk.
He called for close coordination among state agencies, district administrations and scientific and technical institutions so that warnings are acted upon quickly and effectively.
Mohan emphasised that disaster preparedness must move beyond response-oriented measures towards risk-informed planning, preventive mitigation and community-level preparedness.
States and UTs were advised to regularly review preparedness plans, identify gaps in warning and evacuation systems and undertake corrective measures ahead of extreme weather events.
States told to expedite GLOF projects
The Union Home Secretary also called upon the States to expedite GLOF mitigation projects sanctioned by the Central Government in 2024.
The meeting also stressed regular sharing of risk information and stronger coordination among agencies to minimise loss of life and property in vulnerable Himalayan regions.
