2 days ago
Regular studies of Himalayan glaciers, nearby areas to be conducted: Pushkar Singh Dhami
Dehradun: Sounding alarm over Uttarakhand's growing vulnerability to disasters, chief minister
Pushkar Singh Dhami
on Friday announced regular studies of Gangotri glacier, other Himalayan glaciers and surrounding areas, along with strengthening of the disaster management department for predictive and proactive measures.
The announcement, made during the 79th Independence Day function at Parade Ground, came after the Aug 5 flash flood in Uttarkashi's Dharali village, which some experts have linked to a possible glacial lake outburst.
Official data of the state disaster management department shows that between Jan 2014 and July 2024, 3,667 houses were completely demolished in natural disasters, 9,556 permanent and over 5,000 temporary structures were partially damaged, and more than 13,000 hectares of crops lost.
Natural disasters also killed 1,892 large animals and 15,805 smaller ones, while flash floods and landslides claimed 705 human lives in the past decade with 389 deaths attributed to flash floods alone.
A large share of the damage occurred in structures near rivers or landslide-prone areas, with forests and villages in higher reaches hit especially hard.
The Himalayan state has repeatedly faced such disasters. In 2021, a glacial lake outburst triggered flooding in Chamoli's Reini village, killing over 80.
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Avalanches and similar incidents in recent years have intensified demands for scientific glacier studies.
"Uttarakhand is a hill state and prone to disasters. Earlier, we decided to stop all construction in disaster-prone areas. A detailed study of glaciers is important; therefore, we have taken this decision," Dhami said. Following the Dharali floods, he had also directed immediate identification of landslide and avalanche-prone zones, adding that no new settlements or construction would be permitted in sensitive areas.
Notably, a study published earlier this year revealed Uttarakhand's glacier area has shrunk from 979 sq km in 2000 to 957.6 sq km in 2023, with Gangotri glacier alone losing 2.3 sq km. Experts warn this shrinkage could create new glacial lakes, raising the risk of future outburst floods.
Alongside the glacier study, Dhami announced other measures at the Independence Day event including the provision of two gas cylinders and a stove to all schools lacking them under the mid-day meal scheme; establishment of district-level special educational centres through Uttarakhand Open University for employment-oriented higher education; installation of 10 hand pumps in each assembly constituency facing drinking water shortages; and hikes in honorariums – Rs 1,000 for village watchmen and guards, and Rs 2,000 for block representatives under the department of sainik welfare.
Independence Day celebrations were also held in Dharali on Friday with the agencies involved in the ongoing search operation hoisting the tricolour in the village and observing a two-minute silence to pay tribute to the deceased. The flag was hoisted by IG SDRF Arun Mohan Joshi in the presence of personnel from other rescue agencies, including NDRF, ITBP, and local villagers.
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