State’s disaster risk awareness drive from Oct 1

The Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority will roll out its flagship mass awareness campaign “SAMARTH–2025” from October 1 to 31 across the state. The month-long initiative will focus on disaster preparedness, safe construction practices and strengthening community resilience.

Announcing the campaign, Director-cum-Special Secretary (Revenue and Disaster Management) DC Rana highlighted that the observance coincides with the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR), marked globally on October 13 every year. Established by the UN General Assembly in 1989, the day promotes a culture of risk awareness and resilience. This year’s theme — “Fund Resilience, Not Disasters” — underscores the urgency of investing in resilience to reduce the social, economic and human costs of disasters, he said.

Rana noted that SAMARTH, launched in 2011, has since evolved into a state-wide annual campaign that unites government departments, institutions and communities under the common goal of building disaster resilience. The state-level function will be held in Shimla on October 13, alongside the global observance of IDDRR. To mark the occasion, a five-day exhibition on disaster preparedness, technologies and response equipment will be organised on The Ridge from October 13-17.

Throughout the month, awareness activities will be carried out by the SDMA, all District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs), line departments, NGOs, academic institutions and community groups. These will include multimedia campaigns, street plays, folk performances, IEC material distribution, school and college competitions (quizzes, poster-making, essay-writing, model-building) and mock drills.

Specialised workshops for Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) on resilient urban planning and safe construction have been planned. At the grassroots level, Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), Aapda Mitras and technical experts will lead discussions during Gram Sabha meetings on October 2, strengthening community participation in disaster preparedness.