Dehradun: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday honoured personnel of NDRF, SDRF, police, and ITBP for their dedicated contribution to relief and rescue operations during disasters. The ceremony, organised by Arpit Foundation under the “Pride Movement Samman Samaroh,” was held at the Government Doon Medical College, Patel Nagar.
Addressing the gathering, CM Dhami said the honour symbolises gratitude to those who risked their lives in challenging circumstances to save others. He recalled the state’s vulnerability to frequent natural disasters, citing major tragedies such as the 2013 Kedarnath floods, the 2021 Chamoli disaster, and the 2023 Joshimath subsidence. This year too, Uttarkashi, Chamoli, and Dehradun witnessed heavy rainfall, cloudbursts, and landslides causing significant loss of lives and property.
The Chief Minister praised the relentless efforts of ground-level responders who rescued people trapped in debris, shifted families to safer places, and managed relief camps. Referring to the Silkyara tunnel rescue operation, he said the nation watched with hope as teams worked day and night, with guidance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and blessings of Baba Bokhnag, ensuring success.
CM Dhami expressed gratitude to PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for their support. He said the Prime Minister personally visited Dehradun, met victims, and announced a ₹1,200 crore special relief package to aid rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts.
Highlighting preparedness, Dhami said SDRF personnel are now equipped with drones, satellite-based monitoring systems, and advanced rescue gear. Under the Aapda Mitra Yojana, local youths are being trained at the village level, while disaster-resilient techniques are being adopted in road and bridge construction.
He also announced that disaster management training is being integrated into school and college curricula to prepare future generations for such challenges. He emphasised that disasters not only damage infrastructure but also hurt the confidence and future of affected families, making rehabilitation and livelihood support essential.
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During the ceremony, students specially thanked the Chief Minister for implementing the anti-cheating law. The event was attended by MLA Premchand Aggarwal, Swami Rupendra Prakash, Shri Krishna Giri Maharaj, ADG V. Murugeshan, and programme convenor Hani Pathak.
