New Delhi, May 3 -- The Special Secretary (Disaster Management), Government of Himachal Pradesh, Pushpendra Rana, delivered a comprehensive presentation at the Relief Officers' Conference, highlighting the scale, extent and evolving challenges of disaster management in the state.

Drawing attention to Himachal Pradesh's fragile Himalayan ecology and increasing exposure to extreme weather events, he emphasised the growing complexity of managing disasters, including floods, landslides, cloudbursts, and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). He noted that the frequency and intensity of such events are placing unprecedented pressure on response systems, infrastructure, and local administrations.

Underscoring the need for a strengthened instit...