Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 29 Jul: Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) and the Indian Army have agreed to further strengthen their coordination to ensure faster, more effective and better-coordinated relief and rescue operations during natural disasters in the State. A high-level meeting between senior officials of the Indian Army and the USDMA was held at the Uttarakhand Sub Area headquarters here today to formulate a joint strategy for disaster response, particularly during the monsoon season. The focus of the meeting was to establish better coordination for ensuring an effective response during the critical ‘golden hour’, optimum utilisation of available resources and greater participation of ex-servicemen in disaster management.
The meeting also discussed measures to enhance inter-agency coordination, prepare joint operational plans for various disaster scenarios and ensure the effective deployment of available manpower, equipment and resources during emergencies.
Addressing the meeting, Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman observed that in a disaster-prone State like Uttarakhand, the Indian Army has always been a dependable partner in relief and rescue operations. He said that whenever the State has faced major natural calamities, the Army has responded with remarkable sensitivity, promptness and professional efficiency, playing a vital role in saving lives and assisting affected communities.
Referring to the disaster in the Kedar Valley in 2024, Suman reminded that despite extremely challenging geographical conditions, the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force had made a significant contribution by safely evacuating thousands of pilgrims and local residents. He also recalled the disaster response in Dharali and other affected areas in 2025, where the Army had played a commendable role not only in rescue operations but also in transporting essential equipment, heavy machinery and other resources to inaccessible locations and ensuring the safe evacuation of affected people.
Suman asserted that the State Government and the USDMA are committed to establishing even stronger coordination with the Army and assured that every possible departmental support would be extended to the armed forces on matters relating to disaster management.
Deputy General Officer Commanding (Deputy GOC), Uttarakhand Sub Area, Brigadier RS Thapa said that the foremost objective of the Indian Army during any disaster is to save human lives. He said the Army remains fully prepared to undertake relief and rescue operations in the event of any disaster in Uttarakhand and is continuously working to further strengthen its coordination with the USDMA. Brigadier Thapa further stressed that the Army’s endeavour is to commence relief and rescue operations during the ‘golden hour’ itself, as swift action in the initial phase of a disaster significantly enhances the chances of saving lives.
Among those present at the meeting were USDMA Additional Chief Executive Officer (Administration) Prakash Chandra, Additional Chief Executive Officer (Implementation) DIG Rajkumar Negi, Joint Chief Executive Officer Dinesh Kumar Punetha and disaster management experts associated with the Authority.
The meeting also deliberated on strengthening the State’s disaster response mechanism through greater institutional coordination. Suman requested the Army to upload details of its disaster response equipment, machinery and other available resources on the India Disaster Resource Network (IDRN) portal so that these assets could be readily identified and deployed by various agencies whenever required.
The participants also discussed the possibility of involving the Army in the Quick Response Teams (QRTs) constituted across different districts of the State. In addition, the meeting explored ways of harnessing the experience and technical expertise of ex-servicemen to further reinforce Uttarakhand’s disaster management framework, recognising that their operational skills and field experience can significantly enhance preparedness as well as emergency response during natural disasters.
