Yogi Adityanath Urges Citizens to Rescue, Not Record, at New Uttar Pradesh Disaster Hub

Lucknow, July 19 – The freshly‑built headquarters of the Uttar Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), a sprawling complex that cost over ₹200 crore, opened its doors on Sunday. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, flanked by senior officials, cut the ribbon, launched the agency’s new website and walked visitors through an exhibition that charted the state’s disaster‑response journey.

But the ceremony wasn’t just about glossy new buildings. The chief minister used the platform to deliver a blunt reminder: when a disaster strikes, the first instinct should be to save lives, not to pull out a phone and record. “If you see a flood, a fire or a wild‑animal encounter, put the camera away and join the rescue,” he said, his tone mixing impatience with genuine concern.

He recounted the tragic crocodile attack in Bahraich on July 16 that claimed a 12‑year‑old boy’s life. “People know crocodiles stick to a limited stretch of river – usually four to five kilometres – yet many still interfere,” Yogi warned. The message was clear: respect wildlife boundaries and avoid needless confrontations.

Wild‑animal encounters have risen sharply. In the past two years, Bijnor district rescued about 80 leopards that have begun roaming sugarcane fields, earning the nickname “sugar leopard.” Across Uttar Pradesh, roughly 4,000 people have been affected by such clashes, a figure the chief minister said warrants treating human‑wildlife conflict as a full‑blown disaster – a move Uttar Pradesh has already taken.

Lightning, too, remains a silent killer. A sudden storm claimed 111 lives within a single hour across districts from Fatehpur to Azamgarh. Yogi highlighted that modern technology can forecast lightning‑prone zones up to two hours in advance, urging officials to disseminate alerts via mobile apps and local media.

On the manpower front, the government is fast‑tracking the recruitment of 45,000 home guards. These volunteers will receive “Aapda Mitra” training, equipping them to act as first responders. Once inducted, they’ll enjoy a modest honorarium, cash‑less health coverage worth ₹5 lakh, and a disaster‑relief package of up to ₹40 lakh for families should tragedy strike.

Education, Yogi stressed, is the long‑term antidote. Disaster‑readiness modules will be woven into school curricula, and district‑level conferences of principals will spread the knowledge further. “We shouldn’t only react after a calamity,” he said. “Preparedness can shrink loss to the bare minimum.”

Technology will underpin the entire strategy. The chief minister urged the SDMA to partner with leading institutes for satellite‑based monitoring, AI‑driven risk mapping and GIS‑powered early‑warning systems. Mock drills, he added, should become routine at every district, tehsil, police station and municipal body – a practice he hopes will become as ordinary as a fire‑ drill in a school.

All 17 municipal corporations are slated to serve as SDMA sub‑centres, while the authority plans to extend its reach to more than 200 Nagar Palika Parishads. The vision, according to Yogi, is a state where every citizen, from a farmer in a remote village to a schoolchild in Lucknow, feels confident that both government and community are ready for whatever nature throws their way.