PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGNS BY THE HIMACHAL PRADESH GOVERNMENT AMID DISASTER CRISIS: A SECONDARY DATA ANALYSIS

Disaster crises create big problems for governance, thus it's important to have good public relations (PR) tactics tomeet community expectations and make them more resilient. This is especially true in places like Himachal Pradesh,India, which are prone to natural disasters like floods and landslides. This study investigates the public relationsinitiatives launched by the Himachal Pradesh government during disaster situations, evaluating their efficacy,alternative techniques, and communication obstacles. Employing a qualitative descriptive-comparativemethodology, the study utilizes secondary data from literature, governmental papers, and media coverage to evaluatethe effectiveness of communication techniques and public perception. It shows that the government has been able toget important information out to the public, but there are still problems with infrastructure, coordination acrossdepartments, and getting people involved. The study analyzes major themes from existing literature on governmentcommunication during disasters, highlighting that robust and targeted communication can reduce casualties andenhance community trust. Insights from situations in other Indian states, including how Kerala handled the COVID19 outbreak, show how important it is to communicate and get people involved before problems happen. The reportends with suggestions for improving Himachal Pradesh's disaster communication efforts by using more integratedmethods, including more people, and giving officials more training. The government may build public trust and getpeople ready for disasters by moving toward more open and participatory communication. This will protect thehealth and safety of its people in emergencies.