DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand Governor Lt. Gen. Gurmit Singh (Retd.) on Thursday convened a high-level meeting to assess the state's response to the recent disaster in Dharali and to reinforce preparedness for the ongoing monsoon season.
Reviewing relief, rescue, and rehabilitation efforts at the State Emergency Operation Centre in IT Park, the Governor underscored the critical importance of strategic learning and continuous vigilance.
Emphasising the need for introspection and future readiness, Governor Singh stated, "Every relief and rescue operation must be meticulously documented and studied."
He elaborated that the goal is to identify what worked well and what could be improved, ensuring that "valuable lessons from the Dharali incident can be used to refine our policies and enhance our preparedness for future events, enabling a quicker and more efficient response".
Highlighting the continued threat posed by an active monsoon, the Governor cautioned about potential emerging challenges. Therefore, he explicitly directed, "all concerned agencies must remain on 24-hour alert mode" to ensure a prompt response to any unforeseen circumstances.
Later in the day, the Governor extended his outreach virtually to a team of scientists and experts from IIT Roorkee. He specifically sought critical updates on the water drainage from a lake that has formed in Harsil and the current condition and safety of the crucial Dharali-Mukhba bridge.
The IIT team assured the Governor that extensive survey work is underway at these sites and that "a detailed report, crucial for guiding future actions and ensuring structural integrity, would be submitted to the government very soon".
Prior to the review, Vinod Kumar Suman, Secretary for Disaster Management and Rehabilitation, provided the Governor with a comprehensive briefing. He detailed the background of the disaster, the extent of the damage, and the multi-departmental efforts undertaken so far to manage the situation and provide aid, setting the stage for the Governor's thorough review and strategic discussions.