The Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of Ladakh, Ashish Kundra, on Friday underlined the necessity of providing institutional support for the establishment of an Integrated Command and Control Centre in Leh, aimed at enhancing real-time coordination, communication, and disaster response capabilities.
The chief secretary chaired a meeting of the Ladakh Disaster Management Authority (LDMA) to review disaster preparedness, mitigation measures, and disaster initiatives in the UT.
The meeting was attended by the GOC of Army’s Fire and Fury Corps, Lt General Hitesh Bhalla, Lt General Chhabra, officers from Air Force, BRO, ITBP and Police. Officers from NDMA joined online.
During the meeting, Administrative Secretary, Disaster Management, Shashanka Ala, made a detailed presentation outlining Ladakh’s hazard profile, with special emphasis on earthquake and flash flood risks.
The presentation also included a rainfall and snowfall report of Leh town, along with an overview of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) Acts and their implementation.
The meeting deliberated on several key agenda items, including the procedure for seeking post-disaster relief, a review of relief and reconstruction works undertaken by DDMA Leh, and the proposal for preparing a shelf of projects under the proposed Disaster Mitigation Fund of UT Ladakh.
The Chief Secretary emphasised the need to further strengthen disaster mitigation and preparedness mechanisms across the UT. He stressed the importance of robust inter-agency coordination and directed that the Army, Air Force, and Border Roads Organisation (BRO) should operate through an integrated control room to ensure a coordinated and effective response during emergencies.
He stressed the need for identification of disaster vulnerable spots and also modalities of mitigation and relief operations. He stressed upon the need for an integrated disaster management plan which would incorporate requirements of the Army, BRO, ITBP and other agencies.
He also urged the police to create a unified disaster mitigation force including civil defence, home guards and ex-servicemen. He underscored the need for identification of helipads and temporary landing grounds for helicopters in the eventuality of disaster.
The meeting further discussed decisions and approvals sought from the State Executive Committee (SEC), with emphasis on timely action and adherence to established disaster management protocols.