Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has urged the Union Government to enhance the disaster fund for Himachal Pradesh as the State is prone to various types of natural disasters due to difficult topographical and climatic conditions.
The Chief Minister stated this while virtually addressing the inauguration function regarding setting up of two Doppler Weather Radar for the State, virtually from New Delhi by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India Dr. Jitendra Singh today.
These Doppler Weather Radars have been established at Jot in Chamba district and another at Murari Devi in Mandi district of the State.
Chief Minister said that these radars will be able to forecast heavy rain, thunderstorm and hailstorm within 100 kilometer radius in all directions, especially for short-range forecasting. These radars will be helpful to improve area specific forecast and warning for the State. They will also enhance weather monitoring capabilities and generate accurate data that will help the administration in making pre arrangements to reduce damages caused due to weather borne disasters.
Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that one Doppler Weather Radar has already been installed at Kufri in Shimla district on 15th January, 2021 and with the commissioning of these additional two radars, about 70 per cent area of the State will be covered for weather forecast. He said that still about 30 per cent area of Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti district will not be covered under these Radars.
Chief Minister urged the Union Minister of State to provide additional Radar for these districts, so that these tribal districts could also be covered. He said that cloud bursts has caused heavy damages in Kinnaur district in the recent years, thus it was vital that a proper weather forecast mechanism be evolved to take preventive measures in advance. He said these incidents of cloud bursts have caused heavy damage to the area particularly the power projects.
Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, Education Minister Rohit Thakur, Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, Principal Secretaries Onkar Sharma, R.D. Nazeem and Bharat Khera, Secretary Akshay Sood, Director Indian Meteorological Department M. Mahapatra and other senior officers were present on the occasion.
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