Home Minister Amit Shah orders formation of expert team to tackle natural disasters in Himachal Pradesh

New Delhi, Jul 20: In response to the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters in Himachal Pradesh, the Union Government has established a multi-sectoral central team to investigate and address the situation. The decision was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by the Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah.

The state has been grappling with a growing number of cloudbursts, flash floods, landslides, and heavy rainfall, resulting in significant loss of life, damage to property and infrastructure, and widespread environmental degradation.

To assess and mitigate these risks, a central team comprising experts from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) Roorkee, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) Pune, IIT Indore, and geological specialists has been constituted. In addition, the Central Government has deployed an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) to conduct an on-the-spot assessment of the recent damage caused by floods and landslides during the current southwest monsoon. The IMCT began its visit to the affected districts on July 18 and will conclude its tour on July 21.

As part of ongoing relief and reconstruction efforts, the Centre has already approved ₹2,006.40 crore for Himachal Pradesh to aid recovery from past disasters. An initial tranche of ₹451.44 crore was released on July 7, 2025. Earlier, on June 18, the state received ₹198.80 crore as the first instalment from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to undertake immediate relief measures. To assist with rescue and relief, 13 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in the state. The Central Government has also mobilised Army units and Air Force support as part of its broader logistical assistance to disaster-hit regions.