Kashmir Impulse Desk

Jammu, April 11 

A senior Jammu and Kashmir official on Saturday called for a proactive “zero casualty approach” to disaster management, as authorities reviewed preparedness ahead of the monsoon season in the region.

Chandraker Bharti, Principal Secretary of the Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction department, chaired a high-level meeting at the Civil Secretariat to assess coordination and readiness across agencies.

Officials said Jammu and Kashmir remains vulnerable to a range of natural hazards, including floods, landslides, earthquakes, forest fires and glacial lake outburst floods, which have caused loss of life and damage to infrastructure in the past.

Bharti emphasised the need for stronger inter-agency coordination, early warning systems and identification of vulnerabilities, urging departments to adopt a preventive and technology-driven approach.

He directed emergency response agencies, including the State Disaster Response Force and other line departments, to enhance preparedness, mitigation and response measures during the pre-monsoon period.

Authorities were also asked to update resource data on the India Disaster Resource Network portal and conduct regular mock drills, including night-time simulations, to improve readiness.

The meeting brought together officials from multiple departments and agencies, including civil administration, police, armed forces and disaster response bodies, reflecting a coordinated approach to risk management.

Bharti also called for improved data sharing among national agencies such as the Geological Survey of India and the Central Water Commission to strengthen forecasting and response mechanisms.

Separately, officials were instructed to ensure adequate preparations for upcoming religious events, including the Machil Mata Yatra scheduled to begin later this month.