CURRENT AFFAIRS | 26 MAY 2026
On 25 May 2026, the world-famous Gulmarg Gondola developed a technical snag mid-operation, stranding 320 tourists in 65 cabins. A six-hour joint rescue by SDRF, NDRF, Indian Army and J&K Police brought everyone down safely. CM Omar Abdullah ordered an inquiry; HM Amit Shah lauded the response. The episode tees up the Disaster Management Act 2005 architecture — a CLAT-2027 evergreen.
Constitutional & Statutory Framework
Disaster Management Act, 2005 creates the 3-tier architecture — NDMA (chaired by PM), SDMA (CM), DDMA (District Collector). Sec. 44 establishes NDRF; Sec. 46 National Disaster Response Fund. Post J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019, J&K is a Union Territory with a legislature — but Police, Public Order and DM Act powers rest with the Lieutenant Governor. CM Omar Abdullah’s inquiry order operates within this LG-CM division.
CLAT Angle — What to memorise
Gulmarg Gondola = world’s second-highest operating cable car (3,950 m). Phase-I (1998) + Phase-II (2005). Rescue forces: NDRF (Central, MHA), SDRF (State), Army (under Art. 355 aid). DM Act 2005 categorises disasters as natural + man-made. NDMA chaired by PM; National Executive Committee headed by Home Secretary. 2020 DM Act invoked for COVID-19 (national disaster).
Key Facts Table
| Statute / Body | Year | Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Disaster Management Act | 2005 | 3-tier: NDMA, SDMA, DDMA |
| NDRF (Sec. 44, DM Act) | 2006 | Specialist response force; DG NDRF |
| J&K Reorganisation Act | 2019 | UT with legislature; LG holds key powers |
| National Disaster Response Fund | Sec. 46 | Constituted via Finance Acts |
Mnemonic — “320-65-6: NDRF-SDRF-ARMY-POLICE”
320 tourists · 65 cabins · 6-hour op. Forces: NDRF · SDRF · Army · Police. Statute trio: DM Act 2005 · J&K Reorg 2019 · Art. 355.
Save this for revision — DM Act 2005 + J&K UT structure are CLAT 2027 staples.
Practice Quiz — 10 CLAT-Style Questions
Click an option to reveal the answer and explanation.
