Uttrakhand in the cautious mode for Rains

Concerns about landslides grow in Uttarakhand as the monsoon arrives in the hill state.

At least five visitors have already died in the past week at Kedarnath and other locations as a result of landslides and rock falls brought on by the recent rains.

As part of the state’s preparation, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has issued a number of directives to the officials after taking note of the problem.

Dhami has ordered the district magistrates to make the majority of the judgments at their level since he believes the next three months are crucial in terms of potential tragedies.

However, there are frequently natural calamities in Uttarakhand.

The Rishiganga flash floods in February of last year jolted Uttarakhand once more, serving as a sobering reminder of the state’s great vulnerability to natural disasters, even before memories of the Kedarnath calamity in June 2013 started to fade.

In contrast to the Kedarnath deluge, which claimed about 5,000 lives, the Rishiganga flash floods inflicted serious damage on Reini and Tapovan parts of Chamoli district and killed more than 200 people in addition to doing so.

The Himalayas, according to experts, are young and delicate, making them particularly vulnerable to calamities like landslides, earthquakes, and floods, especially during the monsoon season when their vulnerability is increased.

According to Dr. Sushil Kumar, a former head of the Institute of Himalayan Geology’s Geophysics Group, the Himalayas are a very young mountain range, with just dirt covering the top 30 to 50 feet of its surface.

If this soil is even slightly disturbed, especially during the rainy season, it starts to erode and might cause landslides.

According to him, the state’s vulnerability to natural disasters has also increased due to the cutting of hills for the construction of the all-weather road project, the massive influx of pilgrims for the Char Dham Yatra, and greater rains because of the expanded Tehri Dam catchment area.

Early warning systems may be put in place in the state, according to Kumar, to prevent the loss of life caused by disasters, but for them to be effective, the government must also improve the internet infrastructure.

Additionally, he asked the government to develop homes that can withstand earthquakes for the population living in disaster-prone areas and to encourage them to adopt building construction methods that can do the same for them.

The Uttarakhand Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre reports that between 2014 to 2020, 500 individuals suffered injuries and 600 people perished as a result of natural disasters.

During this time, hundreds of homes, other structures, highways, and bridges suffered damage. Agribusiness on more than 2,050 hectares of land was also lost in these catastrophes.

Landslides during the first rains have killed at least five people this year as well.

Various ministries, including disaster management, have been told to be alert and coordinate their efforts by Chief Minister Dhami.

He has instructed the authorities to act swiftly and start the rescue and relief efforts right away in the event of a calamity.

The chief minister has instructed the relevant personnel to restore services in the shortest amount of time in the event that a landslide or rain-related disruption of the road, electricity, or water supply occurs.

Additionally, Dhami has instructed the officials to maintain the State Disaster Response Force teams in sensitive locations, to guarantee the availability of excavators and the proper operation of satellite phones, and to make full preparations for the supply of essential food items, medications, and other necessities well in advance.

In order to address the issues and ensure that the monies set aside for disaster management are used to the fullest extent possible, he has also instructed the district magistrates to make the majority of the decisions at their level.

The chief minister has also instructed the officers to pay out compensation to catastrophe victims in accordance with the law as soon as possible. He has also urged them to only grant government employees leaves under exceptional circumstances during the following three months.