Observing International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, a national webinar on ‘Disasters in Ladakh: Vulnerability & Preparedness’ was held on October 13. 

The webinar was jointly organised by Ladakh Regional Centre of GB Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment (GBP NIHE), Leh, National Institute of Disaster Management, New Delhi, and Ladakh Science Foundation, Leh Ladakh.

Saugat Biswas, Divisional Commissioner and Secretary, Disaster Management, UT Ladakh; Dr. R S Rawal, Director GB Pant NIHE, Uttarakhand; Major General Manoj Kumar Bindal, Executive Director NIDM and Prof. Surya Prakash, NIDM spoke on the occasion. 

Discussion was held on the need to have a good disaster risk governance to save lives, reduced numbers of disaster-affected people, and reduced economic losses.

The requirement of a clear vision, plans, and competent empowered institutions acting on scientific evidence for the sustainable development of Ladakh is also discussed. 

The panelists were Dr. Ajit Roy, Scientist Head Department of Disaster, IIRS/ISRO, Dehradun; Dr.Reno J Thayen, Scientist, National Institute of hydrology, Roorkee; Sonam Lotus, Scientist, Head, Meteorological centre, Srinagar, J&K; Dr, Subrat Sharma, Scientist, Head, Ladakh Regional Centre, GBPNIHE, Leh and Tsering Tashi, Scientist in ISRO, Founder LSF.

The outcomes and the recommendations of the seminar will be submitted to the administration of UT Ladakh for consideration.