Gangtok, Sep 4: Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Friday flagged off the NDRF's mountaineering expedition to Mt Jongsong, aimed at strengthening the force's high-altitude technical and rescue capabilities.
The 41-member expedition, organised by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in collaboration with the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA), will expose personnel to challenging mountain terrain, an official statement said.
Mt Jongsong stands at an elevation of 7,462 metres (24,482 feet).
Tamang stressed the need to strengthen disaster preparedness in the Himalayan state and lauded the NDRF for its services during the 2011 Sikkim earthquake, the 2023 Teesta floods and the Teesta Stage VI tunnel accident.
He also highlighted the importance of community-level preparedness, saying 1,185 personnel had been trained under initiatives such as the Aapda Mitra programme.
He urged the expedition team to document glacial lakes and other geographical observations during the mission, it said.
NDRF director general Piyush Anand said Mt Jongsong would provide the force with valuable exposure to high-altitude operational challenges.
He underlined the force's twin focus on rapid disaster response and capacity building, including strengthening the preparedness of state disaster response forces and other frontline personnel, according to the statement.
The expedition, scheduled from September 4 to October 11, comprises 25 climbing members, including two women, and 16 support personnel. The team has undergone specialised training and high-altitude drills in North Sikkim, the statement said.
Tamang also felicitated 12 Aapda Mitra volunteers from Sikkim who represented the state at the Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi earlier this year.
The expedition flag was formally handed over to expedition leader Nitesh Sharma by the CM, marking the start of the mission.
