Samarth 2024: We must learn to live with disasters, says CM Sukhu

Climate change has led to an increase in the frequency of disasters, and it is crucial to adapt to living with these challenges, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Monday. Presiding over the International Disaster Reduction Day event, 'Samarth-2024' here, he announced that a major State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) training institute will be established in Palampur. He emphasised that awareness is key to effectively responding to disasters and minimising the loss of life and property. The state government is spending a significant amount of money on disaster preparedness and awareness, he said in a statement issued here, adding a Rs 800-crore project is being executed in collaboration with the French agency Agence Franaise de Dveloppement (AFD), and Rs 500 crore is being spent from the mitigation fund. The CM said the region which is now Himachal Pradesh experienced its first major disaster in 1905, when an earthquake in Kangra claimed more than 20,000 lives. he said th