Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 26 Aug: BJP leader Ravindra Jugran has raised serious concerns over the functioning of the Disaster Management Department, stating that its work style is giving rise to many doubts which must be clarified.
He said that the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has more than a decade’s worth of rainfall data on Uttarakhand, including details of regions that have consistently experienced heavy rainfall. He questioned whether the Disaster Management Department has ever taken cognisance of this data to study disaster-prone areas and prepare concrete measures to minimise the impact of disasters.
Jugran also expressed doubts regarding the Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) installed in Uttarakhand with World Bank assistance. He pointed out that it is being heard that the server for these stations was not set up in Uttarakhand, but elsewhere.
He asked, “Where is the data from these AWS units being stored? How and from where does the Uttarakhand Disaster Management Department access this data?
He added that it also needs to be investigated how many of the Automatic Weather Stations, installed at a cost of several crores of rupees, are actually functional. “In such circumstances, how will there be adequate preparedness before disasters strike, and how will their impact be minimised?” he asked.
Jugran emphasised that without real-time availability of accurate data, timely response and swift decision-making during disasters cannot be ensured. He remarked that it seems the Disaster Management Department has not been learning lessons from past disasters to strengthen preparedness.
He demanded that the Uttarakhand Disaster Management Department must answer these questions and clarify the situation before the public.
