Arunachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar on Thursday said it is important to develop a “real-time monitoring system for early warning signals” against natural disasters to prevent loss of lives and other damages.

Addressing an executive committee meeting of the disaster management department at the civil secretariat, Kumar reiterated that Arunachal is vulnerable to natural disasters and calamities like landslides, flash floods, cloudbursts, etc.

Kumar asked the State Disaster Management Agency to “use technology which could detect soil movement (in case of landslides) and give out advance warning signals,” and suggested that “some landslide-prone locations could be taken up on a trial basis.”

He further asked the participants to collaborate with reputed institutes like the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, or others in this regard.

Setting up of a model regional relief centre and a state institute of disaster management was discussed in the meeting. Approval for release of funds to the deputy commissioners and the health services director for Covid-19 management activities, relief and response, etc, was also discussed.