Uttarakhand Multi-Hazard Early Warning System

• 26 Jun 2023

Why in News?

According to the information received from the media on June 24, 2023, a siren system will be installed at 250 places in the first phase of this pilot project named Uttarakhand Multi-Hazard Early Warning System to prevent disasters in Uttarakhand.

Key Points:

• An approval of Rs 118 crore has been received in the first phase for this project to be set up in Uttarakhand.
• It is known that the project has been approved in the High Powered Committee (HPC) meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary SS Sandhu.
• The World Bank is funding this project. Now global tenders will be invited for this at the international level.
• After the implementation of this project, Uttarakhand will be the second state after Kerala, which is going to adopt this system. Kerala has spent around Rs 80 crore on this project.
• Under the Early Warning Siren System, this system will be installed on mobile towers located at sensitive places in the state. New towers will be installed where there are no mobile towers.
• After this, alerts received from organizations like Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and Center Water Commission will be conveyed to the people through sirens. In calamities like floods, landslides, earthquakes, heavy rains, and avalanches, people will be able to reach safe places in time to protect their lives and property.
• In case of any disaster, the siren system can be operated from three levels. Firstly, where the siren system will be installed, there will also be a mini control room.
• Second, it can be triggered (pressing the button) from the control room set up at the district level and thirdly, the siren system can also be activated from the control room set up at the state level.
• A siren system has been installed on the banks of the Ganga in Rishikesh by THDC (Tehri Hydro Development Corporation), but it works only when water is released from the dam. The Multi-Hazard Early Warning System will issue warning sirens in case of any type of disaster.
• The special feature of the Uttarakhand Multi-Hazard Early Warning System is that it will broadcast different types of sounds in different disasters. For this, the general public will be told in advance what kind of sound the siren will broadcast. With this people will be able to know what kind of danger they are in.
• A list of mobile towers has been sought from the districts for the installation of the siren system. The project has already been approved by HPC and World Bank. In the first phase, the number of sirens will be increased to 250 and then to 1000 in the next phase.