Himachal Governor presents DGP Disc awards, lauds police service during recent natural disaster

R The governor presented the DGP Disc awards to 334 police personnel for 2020, 2021 and 2022 at the Gaiety Theatre here and congratulated the awardees.Speaking at the event, Shukla said the state police and the State Disaster Response Force SDRF jointly rescued more than 70,000 people in the past two months, including foreign tourists, from Kullu alone.

The Himachal Pradesh Police has gained people's faith and respect by rendering commendable services during recent natural disaster, especially during the evacuation of stranded residents and tourists, Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla said on Sunday. \R The governor presented the DGP Disc awards to 334 police personnel for 2020, 2021 and 2022 at the Gaiety Theatre here and congratulated the awardees.

Speaking at the event, Shukla said the state police and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) jointly rescued more than 70,000 people in the past two months, including foreign tourists, from Kullu alone. The monsoon fury in the hill state during July and August caused severe devastation, triggering flash floods and landslides and causing massive damage to both public and private property besides human lives.\R Expressing concern over the growing illegal drug trade in the state, Shukla said dealing with it is a ''big challenge'' and added that police surveillance is important for controlling such anti-social elements.

He said there has been a huge reduction in the number of road accidents and injuries and deaths due to the same across the state in 2023, compared to the last several years, due to tireless efforts of the police with its use of advanced technology such as the Integrated Traffic Management System.

The governor said the state police has several achievements to its credit, including the first position in India in passport verification, top position among hilly and north-eastern states, third in implementation of the Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System in 2022 and the eleventh rank in implementation of the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System in 2020-2021. Shukla added that the Himachal Pradesh Police is the eighth state police in India to have the honour of receiving the 'President's Colour', the highest honour that the President can bestow upon any military unit of India.

Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu, who earlier welcomed the governor as the chief guest at the DGP Disc felicitation ceremony, said in his address that several innovative efforts taken by the Himachal Pradesh police are being adopted by the police of other states. The DGP said that special efforts have been made against drug abuse, reduction in road accidents, prevention of organised crime, and for the welfare of the police personnel. Police Band 'Harmony of Pines' performed on this occasion.