Shimla, Jul 29 (PTI) The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet on Tuesday approved the recommendations of a Cabinet Sub-Committee on Disaster Management and Rehabilitation, including conducting structural safety audits of buildings to assess their disaster resilience and taking retrofitting measures to minimise risks, an official statement said.
The sub-committee, headed by Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, was constituted to examine and suggest measures for strengthening the state’s disaster preparedness and rehabilitation mechanisms, it said.
Besides conducting safety audits of buildings, the panel recommended making earthquake-resistant and hazard-resilient construction mandatory across the state.
It also suggested the integration of home guards, civil defence, fire services and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) with the Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authorities (HPSDMA)’s Disaster Management Cell to ensure a swift coordinated response during emergencies.
In a meeting held here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the Cabinet also decided to induct 1,386 eligible Jal Rakshaks (water guards), who have completed 12 years or more of service as on December 31, 2024, as pump attendants in the Jal Shakti Vibhag, the statement said.
It approved the procurement of apples at Rs 12 per kg under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) for 2025. It also decided to procure B and C grade kinnow, malta, and orange at Rs 12 per kg, galgal at Rs 10 per kg and seedling, grafted and kacha achari mango at Rs 12 per kg under the scheme.
The Cabinet also approved the translocation of 325 trees under phase-I of the development of the Durgesh-Aranya Zoological Park at Bankhandi in Dehra, Kangra district.
The Cabinet gave the nod to the up-gradation and equipping of 18 daycare centres for chemotherapy in district hospitals and select Adarsh Swasthya Sansthans, the statement said.
It said this initiative aims to provide accessible follow-up treatment for cancer patients within their districts, reducing the need to travel to medical colleges or out of the state, thereby saving both time and money for the patients and their families. PTI BPL DIV DIV
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