In recent years, the Government of Jammu & Kashmir has been giving increased focus towards the Disaster Management and related aspects. It is because the J&K State is vulnerable to multiple natural hazards like floods, earthquake, landslides, fire, drought, windstorm, snow avalanches, drowning incidents etc resulting in loss of lives, damage to the property, infrastructure and public utilities. The State has already witnessed various disasters like earthquake of 2005, flash floods in Leh, massive floods in the Valley in September 2014, cloud bursts in Thathri, district Doda. District Doda has too witnessed various disasters during the course of history. During the recent floods of 2014, the district authorities in collaboration with NGOs, Mass Social Organizations and volunteers has not only responded to the disaster with unparalleled bravery but have expeditiously responded and recovered from such an unprecedented deluge within the shortest possible time. This not only shows the valour and managerial skills of the district administration but depicts the resilient nature and will power of the common masses. The data collected at various levels were collated while preparing District Disaster Management Plan [DDMP] for Doda District. In order to address the root causes of vulnerability to natural disaster, District Administration is in the process of shifting its government policies towards proactive preparedness, mitigation and prevention. This highlights the links between disaster management and development, calling for a Cross-Sectoral approach to identify the bottlenecks to risk reduction. District Disaster Management Plan is being developed with a dual top-down and bottom-up approach, tapping the existing institutional capacity required for coordinated action, in response to community-based voicing of the most pressing needs. Efforts must mobilize a variety of actors government, private sector and civil society –to complement each other with their respective expertise, while allocating specific and binding responsibilities to overcome difficulties of collective action. We have tried to include the District related information, Risks and Preparedness against risks, responses at the time of disasters as well as Disaster Management and strategy during the disaster. This Plan will be updated periodically, and also we will improve it through continuous feedback from all the Stakeholders and new lessons learnt from the past and present. We hope that this document shall go a long way in helping the district administration in tackling the disaster situations in a systematic, tandem and smooth manner.
Detailed Disaster management plan in district: