Senior Uttarakhand official chairs meeting on rain damage assessment

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], September 21 (ANI): In line with the directives of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the State Disaster Management Department has intensified efforts to secure a special package from the Government of India to compensate for the damages caused during the 2025 monsoon season, an official release said.

From coming Wednesday, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) will launch the Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) process to conduct a realistic evaluation of the losses suffered by the state.

On Saturday, a crucial meeting was held at the State Emergency Operations Centre, Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority, under the chairmanship of Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman.

The meeting was attended by District Magistrates and heads of various departments, focusing on providing detailed reports of damages covered and not covered under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). Participants were briefed on the latest SDRF standards and the prescribed reporting formats.

Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman informed that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed the PDNA process to be expedited so that a detailed proposal can be submitted to the Government of India at the earliest. The CM is personally monitoring progress on a regular basis.

All departments have been instructed to clearly indicate the extent of compensation possible under SDRF and the remaining amount, which will be requested through a special package from the Union Government. He emphasised that the scale of damages this monsoon season is far beyond what can be covered under SDRF alone, hence the urgent need for a special package.

The Secretary further stated that the CM has instructed the immediate reopening of blocked roads without any delay, with patchwork repairs to begin promptly after the rains subside. Restoration of damaged power and water supply lines has also been prioritised.

On Saturday morning, the Chief Minister directed the Secretary to coordinate with districts and departments to normalise life in disaster-affected areas as quickly as possible. Essential supplies must remain available in affected regions until normalcy is fully restored.

He added that Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan has instructed all department heads to conduct field visits from next week to assess damages and review reconstruction work. During the first week, HODs themselves will visit and stay for two days in the districts. In the second week, second-level senior officers will visit, followed by third-level senior officers in the third week.

Department heads will also meet District Magistrates to strengthen coordination and accelerate departmental work. Any issues arising will be discussed with DMs for immediate resolution, ensuring smooth progress of recovery tasks.

The PDNA process to assess post-disaster needs will formally begin on Wednesday with the arrival of the central team in Uttarakhand. Four teams have been constituted, each covering all districts to evaluate actual damages.

District Magistrates will lead the teams at the district level, while HODs will serve as nodal officers. Some officials have been nominated by DMs, and others by HODs, to assist in this work. Every scheme will undergo PDNA, and based on this, a detailed proposal will be prepared and submitted to the Union Government. The teams include officials from all departments to ensure a comprehensive assessment. (ANI)

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