Himachal to strengthen SDRF with tech, artificial intelligence for disaster management

Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena has said State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) needs to be strengthened due to the increasing frequency of natural disasters in the state. He emphasised on enhancing operational skills, integrating advanced technology and adopting sustainable clean-up methods while presiding over a high-level meeting attended by the senior officials of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Management Authority, SDRF, Indian Meteorological Department and other stakeholder departments like NHAI, Geological Survey of India, HPPWD, HP forest department etc.

Expressing concern over the challenges posed by disasters in mountainous and high-altitude regions of the state, he stressed on the need for a dedicated training module and schedule to be developed for SDRF teams. This initiative aims to equip the teams with the specialised skills required for search and rescue operations in hard terrains and extreme weather conditions.

The training will include the comprehensive hands-on training in operating drones for aerial inspection, locating survivors in inaccessible areas, assessing damage and dropping essential supplies like medicines and food packets in precise locations.

He further said the use of AI will revolutionise disaster management by predictive analysis, rapid damage assessment, optimising resource allocation and early warning systems. This will be helpful in forecasting with greater accuracy by analysing vast data sets of historical weather patterns, automatically analysing data immediately after a disaster to identify the worst-affected areas for prioritising resource deployment, suggesting the optimal distribution of manpower, relief materials and equipment based on real-time ground needs along with enhancing the precision of public alert systems.

He said a major challenge in post-flood recovery is the management of massive quantities of muck, silt and debris cleared from homes and buildings. To address this problem in an environmental and health friendly manner, a standardised protocol for muck disposal will be developed. “This protocol will focus on identifying and designating the disposal sites, soil conservation through bio-engineering, reuse and recycling of debris for protective structures,” he said.

NDRF Director General Piyush Goyal said NDRF organises various types of training courses for capacity building and SDRF may select the required training type from its website. Accordingly, the training will be imparted to the SDRF of Himachal Pradesh.