The Jammu and Kashmir government has constituted the Urban Disaster Management Authority (UDMA) for the Municipal Corporations of Jammu and Srinagar to strengthen disaster preparedness, risk reduction and emergency response in urban areas.
As per the notification issued by the Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, the authority has been constituted under Section 41A of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
As per the notification, the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation concerned will serve as the Ex-Officio Chairperson, while the Deputy Commissioner of the respective district will be the Ex-Officio Vice-Chairperson.
The authority will also comprise the Vice-Chairperson of the Development Authority (Srinagar/Jammu), Director of Urban Local Bodies, Senior Superintendent of Police of the concerned district, Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Chief Engineer of UEED, Joint Director of Fire and Emergency Services, and representatives from Civil Defence and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), wherever applicable, as ex-officio members.
As per the notification, UDMA has been assigned the responsibility of preparing the Urban Disaster Management Plan, which will require approval from the Union Territory Disaster Management Authority (UTDMA). The authority will also coordinate the implementation of the urban disaster management plan and undertake risk and vulnerability assessments for urban hazards.
Among its key functions, the UDMA has been tasked with advising on the enforcement of building codes and safety standards to improve disaster resilience, conducting capacity-building programmes, mock drills and public awareness campaigns, and coordinating with the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), UTDMA, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), SDRF and municipal services.
The authority will also maintain an inventory of disaster response resources, including equipment and trained personnel, promote the integration of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) measures into city master plans, and periodically review mitigation, preparedness and capacity-building measures undertaken by the municipal corporations while issuing necessary guidelines. “In the event of an emergency, the Chairperson of the Urban Disaster Management Authority may exercise all or any of the powers of the authority, subject to ex-post facto ratification by the UDMA,” the notification reads.
