Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority :

Uttarakhand  was carved out of Himalayan and adjoining districts of Uttar Pradesh on 9 November 2000 becoming the 27th state of the Republic of India.

Uttarakhand by virtue of its geographical setting is vulnerable to minor ecological changes.Hence any activity disapproved by mountain ecosystem triggers a disaster. We cannot stop disaster to happen but can certainly take some steps to reduce its effects. Disasters are synonymou0s to damage of property, life and psyche of the people.If disasters cannot be averted, then reduction of losses of any type, caused by disaster becomes a focal point of the policy for disaster management. So far, in the recent years (1990 onwards)Uttarakhand has experienced two major earthquakes (magnitude >6) in Uttarkashi(1991) and Chamoli (1999) and a series of landslides/cloud burst such as Malpa(1998),Okhimath (1998), Fata (2001), Gona (2001), Khet Gaon (2002) ,Budhakedar(2002), Bhatwari(2002), Uttarkashi (2003), Amparav(2004), Lambagar(2004), Govindghat(2005), Agastyamuni(2005)  Ramolsari(2005) and many more.

Uttarakhand is a disaster prone state. Landslides, forest fires, cloudbursts and flash-floods are seasonal in nature and these strike at a certain period of the year with high frequency. Earthquake is the most devastating disaster in the mountains and are unpredictable.

Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) :

Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) is a part of State Government and is a nodal agency for planning, co-ordination and monitoring activities related to disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness and management. USDMA lays down policies on disaster management for the state. It approves disaster management plan in accordance to the guidelines laid down by National Authority and co-ordinates its implementation. It provides guidelines and reviews the measures being taken for mitigation, capacity building and preparedness by the Government and issue guidelines as necessary. USDMA recommends provision of funds for mitigation and preparedness measures. Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) was set up and notified as per sub-section (1) of section 14 of Disaster Management Act 2005.

Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority :

Hon’ble Chief Minister – Chairperson,Hon’ble Minister, Disaster Management – Vice-Chairperson,Hon’ble Minister, Health and Family Welfare – Member
,Hon’ble Minister, Drinking Water and Irrigation – Member, Hon’ble Minister, Transport – Member, Hon’ble Minister, Rural Development – Member,
Chairperson of the State Executive Committee – Member and (Chief Secretary) Chief Executive Officer , Principal Secretary, Finance – Member, Principal Secretary, Disaster Management – Member

Functions and Responsibilities :

Powers and functions of State Authority.—

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, a State Authority shall have the responsibility for laying down policies and plans for disaster management in the State.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of provisions contained in sub-section (1),the State Authority may—

(a) lay down the State disaster management policy;

(b) approve the State Plan in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the National Authority;

(c) approve the disaster management plans prepared by the departments of the Government of the State;

(d) lay down guidelines to be followed by the departments of the Government of the State for the purposes of integration of measures for prevention of disasters and mitigation in their development plans and projects and provide necessary technical assistance therefor;

(e) coordinate the implementation of the State Plan;

(f) recommend provision of funds for mitigation and preparedness measures;

(g) review the development plans of the different departments of the State and ensure that prevention and mitigation measures are integrated therein;

(h) review the measures being taken for mitigation, capacity building and preparedness by the departments of the Government of the State and issue such guidelines as may be necessary.

(3) The Chairperson of the State Authority shall, in the case of emergency, have power to exercise all or any of the powers of the State Authority but the exercise of such powers shall be subject to ex post facto ratification of the State Authority.

District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA): 

In accordance with the provisions of S. 25 of Disaster Management Act, 2005 Disaster Management Authorities have been constituted in all the 13 districts of the state through Government Order dated 04 December, 2007.

Powers and functions of DDMA  :

• To prepare a disaster management plan including district response plan;
• To coordinate and monitor the implementation of the National Policy, State Policy, National Plan, State Plan and District Plan;
• To ensure that the areas in the district vulnerable to disasters are identified and measures for the prevention of disasters and the mitigation of its effects are undertaken by the departments of the Government at the district level as well as by the local authorities;
• To ensure that the guidelines for prevention of disasters, mitigation of its effects, preparedness and response measures as laid down by the National Authority and the State Authority are followed by all departments of the Government at the district level and the local authorities in the district;
• To give directions to different authorities at the district level and local authorities to take such other measures for the prevention or mitigation of disasters as may be necessary;
• To lay down guidelines for preparation of disaster management plans by the department of the Government at the districts level and local authorities in the district;
• To monitor the implementation of disaster management plans prepared by the Departments of the Government at the district level;
• To review the state of capabilities for responding to any disaster or threatening disaster situation in the district and give directions to the relevant departments or authorities at the district level for their upgradation as may be necessary; 
• To organise and coordinate specialised training programmes for different levels of officers, employees and voluntary rescue workers in the district; 
• To set up, maintain, review and upgrade the mechanism for early warnings and dissemination of proper information to public; 
• To lay down guidelines for, or give direction to, the concerned Department of the Government at the district level or any other authorities within the local limits of the district to take measures to respond effectively to any threatening disaster situation or disaster;
• To coordinate with, and give guidelines to, local authorities in the district to ensure that measures for the prevention or mitigation of threatening disaster situation or disaster in the district are carried out promptly and effectively;
• To identify buildings and places which could, in the event of any threatening disaster situation or disaster, be used as relief centers or camps and make arrangements for water supply and sanitation in such buildings or places;
• To provide information to the State Authority relating to different aspects of disaster management;
• To encourage the involvement of non-governmental organisations and voluntary social-welfare institutions working at the grassroots level in the district for disaster management;
• To ensure communication systems are in order, and disaster management drills are carried out periodically;
• To perform such other functions as the State Government or State Authority may assign to it or as it deems necessary for disaster management in the District.