Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday met Union minister Jitendra Singh in Delhi, and sought increased scientific infrastructure in the hill state to strengthen disaster preparedness and promote sustainable development.
He requested the Union Minister to provide one Doppler weather radar and 150 automated weather stations across the state before the next monsoon season to ensure early and accurate warnings of natural disasters.
Sukhu said that due to Himachal Pradesh’s fragile geological positioning and the growing impact of global warming and climate change, the State has witnessed a worrying rise in natural disasters, causing heavy losses to life and property.
The Chief Minister expressed gratitude to Dr. Jitendra Singh for approving the Doppler radar for Lahaul-Spiti and emphasised that weather-related data from Himachal should be integrated with nationally recognised early warning systems to ensure timely alerts and coordinated response mechanisms.
He also urged the setting up of a seismic laboratory and data analysis centre in the Kangra–Hamirpur zone, which falls in seismic zone-V and is highly prone to earthquakes.
Additionally, he requested two more air monitoring systems in the higher reaches, a weather data centre at Hamirpur, and compact weather radars in shadow areas of the state.
Sukhu stressed that modern systems for early warning, data monitoring, and analysis were urgently needed, given the rise in natural disasters in recent years.
He further proposed the establishment of a Bio-Manufacturing Hub to promote the use of plant-based natural resources in the state and advocated for the creation of plant-based packaging units to support environmental protection and sustainable development.
The Chief Minister also sought support for strengthening space science education through the Space on Wheels programme, along with AI-based and other refresher courses to help students gain advanced scientific knowledge.
A detailed discussion was also held on natural farming, land management, and renewable energy-based smart agriculture. The Chief Minister also briefed the Union Minister about ongoing initiatives in the dairy sector and natural farming.
The Union Minister assured the Chief Minister that the State’s demands would be considered on priority.