Kashmir approves disaster management policy

Jammu -  The Jammu and Kashmir State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) Wednesday approved a three-tier draft disaster management policy for the state “which is vulnerable to  natural calamities”.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah presided over the SDMA meeting that laid importance on professional responses to preparedness, prediction and prevention of disasters, an official statement  said.

Kashmir is prone to natural calamities like earthquakes, floods, snow-storms, landslides, cloudbursts and droughts, said the statement.

Abdullah said there was a need for a fool-proof mechanism to rescue, provide relief and rehabilitate disaster-hit people.

He asked the authorities to strengthen operational functionaries at all levels, enhance capacity building and educate people about the importance of disaster management.

Abdullah said: “We need a comprehensive strategy with befitting command and control to be in place to face any exigency befittingly and in a coordinated manner.”

The meeting followed heavy snow and rains that have triggered landslides and avalanches, cut off many areas, stranded hundreds and caused shortages of essential supplies.