Context:
51 killed in Himachal rains, 14 of them in Shimla landslides.
About Kalka–Shimla railway:
- Narrow-gauge railway in North India.
- Connects Kalka (Haryana) to Shimla, covering a mountainous route.
- Purpose – To connect Shimla (British Raj’s summer capital) with India’s rail system.
- Declared an UNESCO world heritage site and listed under “Mountain Railways of India”.
About National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA):
- Established in 2006.
- Headed by – Prime Minister of India
- Apex body for Disaster Management in India
- Operates under – Ministry of Home Affairs
- Statutory body under the Disaster Management Act, 2005
- National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) – World’s largest disaster response force
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Questions
The 2004 Tsunami made people realize that mangroves can serve as a reliable safety hedge against coastal calamities. How do mangroves function as a safety hedge?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2011 Prelims]
(a) The mangrove swamps separate the human settlements from the sea by a wide zone in which people neither live nor venture out.
(b) The mangroves provide both food and medicines which people are in need of after any natural disaster.
(c) The mangrove trees are tall with dense canopies and serve as an excellent shelter during a cyclone or Tsunami.
(d) The mangrove trees do not get uprooted by storms and tides because of their extensive roots.
With reference to the Indian History, Alexander Rea, A. H. Longhurst, Robert Sewell, James Burgess and Walter Elliot were associated with
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2023 Prelims]
(a) archaeological excavations
(b) establishment of English Press in Colonial India
(c) establishment of Churches in Princely States
(d) construction of railways in Colonial India
