UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the new ₹200-crore SDMA headquarters building in Lucknow, launching its official portal and reviewing operational readiness. (File)Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday inaugurated the new headquarters building of the Uttar Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), constructed at a cost of over ₹200 crore. During the event, the Chief Minister launched the authority’s official website, inspected an exhibition on disaster management, and toured the premises to evaluate operational readiness.Highlighting the state’s focus on proactive crisis mitigation, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath emphasised that public awareness and structural preparedness are essential to minimising losses during emergencies.“Our resolve is to make Uttar Pradesh a state that is fully prepared to deal with every disaster, where every citizen can live with the confidence that both the government and the citizen are ready to face any crisis. This should become a part of every citizen’s and the nation’s duty,” the Chief Minister said.Pointing to early warning systems, he cited past incidents – such as timely evacuations during sudden flooding in Saharanpur – as evidence that real-time alerts save lives. He called for expanding disaster response systems through technology, including satellite monitoring, AI-based risk mapping, predictive analytics, and drone-assisted search and rescue operations.Adityanath also highlighted the state’s ongoing recruitment of 45,000 Home Guards, noting that trained Aapda Mitras will receive priority. Furthermore, he reiterated that Uttar Pradesh is the first state to classify human-wildlife conflict as a disaster, citing recent encounters with leopards and crocodiles to underline the need for public caution.The ceremony was attended by Finance Minister Suresh Khanna, Minister of State for Revenue Surendra Diler, Lucknow Mayor Sushma Kharkwal, and senior state officials.