Uttarakhand to observe Disaster Management Day on November 28 with programmes from November 25 to 28

Uttarakhand will observe Disaster Management Day every year on November 28, commemorating the successful rescue of 41 workers from the Silkyara tunnel on November 28, 2023. In 2026, programmes are scheduled across the state from November 25 to 28, with the main event on November 28.

Drills and preparedness activities

Each district will conduct mock drills on one day between November 25 and 27, at a minimum of 8–10 locations. Sites may include hospitals, schools, government offices, power projects, tunnels and crowded places. District-level events will also be held at district headquarters on November 28.

The programme includes public-awareness and training activities, including basic first-aid and search-and-rescue training for local volunteers. Traditional and modern relief-and-rescue equipment will also be displayed. The state has stated that the annual observance aims to strengthen disaster awareness and preparedness.

Important Facts for Exams

• Multi-agency rescue: The Silkyara rescue involved the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, Uttarakhand Police, Army engineers and the Border Roads Organisation.
• Emergency escape provision: Investigators said the tunnel lacked emergency escape shafts and followed an alignment crossing a geological fault.
• Incident command framework: India's Incident Response System (IRS) provides a scalable, incident-level command framework, assigning defined roles for operations, planning, logistics and coordination during emergencies.
• Aapda Mitra volunteers: NDMA's Aapda Mitra scheme builds a trained community-volunteer pool for disaster response, including search-and-rescue and first-aid skills.