NEW DELHI: “Disaster risk reduction is not just about responding to disasters but also about building resilience,” said PK Mishra, the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, on Tuesday quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s words.
Mishra reiterated the PM’s emphasis that “the best way to deal with disasters is to prevent them,” reminding us that proactive measures are essential in safeguarding our communities.
“We must work together across borders and disciplines to create a safer world,” Mishra said while highlighting the importance of collaboration in addressing global challenges like GLOF (Glacial Lake Outburst Flood) risks. He also noted that mitigating risks associated with glacial lakes is to ensure a safer future for communities.
Complimenting the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Department of Water Resources for organising the 4th Workshop of the Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction (CoDRR), Mishra asked for international perspectives and experiences, especially India’s experiences, gaps and challenges in mitigating the risks and related aspects.
He said that the discussion on Sikkim glacial lake outburst flood disaster has brought to focus the enormity of the challenge. “Indeed, the South Lhonak GLOF was a wake-up call for all of us and required urgent measures for effective strategies to address risks associated with glacial lakes,” he added.
On international cooperation, Mishra emphasised that India’s commitment extends beyond national borders, hence the vital aspect of engaging with GLOF experts from countries such as Bhutan, Nepal, Peru, Switzerland and Tajikistan. He reiterated that such collaboration is vital to enhancing our understanding of response strategies.
Mishra underlined the key contributions of experts from the country and abroad, who have enriched our understanding of the critical issues. Structuring the deliberations, Mishra mentioned the challenges including the confusion over the quantum of the problem defined in terms of the number of glacial lakes and the risk factors associated with them.
He said that earlier attempts to mitigate risks from the South Lhonak lake were not successful and plans were primarily restricted to scientific hazard assessments and geospatial monitoring of lake size increases, while there was diffused responsibility among states and central agencies, causing confusion regarding roles.