Dehradun, June 21: Uttaranchal chief minister N D Tiwari today said that the government would set up a disaster management authority in the state within one month. "We are going to set up a disaster management authority within one month," Tiwari said after the signing of an MoU on a disaster management project here. The state would soon bring a new legislation in this regard, he said.

Tiwari's statement came soon after joint secretary in the Union Home Ministry R K Singh, who was also present on the occasion, asked the state to bring an act on disaster management on the pattern of Gujarat where an earthquake killed thousands of people in January 2001.
"I have taken full note of your (Singh's) advice," Tiwari said adding that he asked principal secretary of home S K Dass to prepare a draft for the separate legislation on disaster management so that early action can be taken on it.
Uttaranchal is the only state in the country where a separate disaster management ministry is functioning.

Stating that the government has already initiated several steps to strengthen disaster management, Tiwari said van panchayats will be set up in all those villages which are prone to natural calamities.
Tiwari also urged the Centre to set up a forecasting cell on disasters and take up research and surveys in this direction to predict disasters like cloud bursts, avalanches and landslides.

Bureau Report