Landslides In Uttarakhand

ABSTRACT

The article below is a detailed analysis of landslides, particularly in Uttarakhand. It starts by defining what are landslides and then discusses the general reasons which causes it. During the discussion, reference has also been made to 2013 Kedarnath floods and its implications. Finally, it deliberates on the measures taken by the state government to solve this problem and find a lasting answer of it.

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Landslides according to National Geographic are defined as a movement of rock, earth or debris down the slope. [i] There are multiple factors which cause them like earthquakes, floods, volcanoes etc. Landslide zones are the ones which are the most active throughout monsoon and act as a hindrance in the development of state. It leads to close roads and disrupts whole life of the people in that area. The government tries its best to solve this problem every year, but no fruitful outcome is achieved yet. The government cannot be entirely blamed as more than half of State’s land lies in high to very high landslide vulnerable zones. [ii] It is also to be noted that major religious tourist places like Kedarnath temple, Badrinath Temple, Gangotri and Yamunotri are located in Uttarakhand. People visiting these places every year, risk their lives as they never know what future holds for them.

The Kedarnath flood of 2013 still instils fear in each one of us. Although the major reason for it was the melting of the Chorabari glacier and Mandakini River, but landslides amplified the intensity of damage caused and loss of lives.[iii] The exact number of people who died in this incident is still not known. This year marks 10 years of the Kedarnath tragedy which also pushed the state to come up with new measures to prevent such incidents from happening again. But this is just one of the calamities which we are addressing, and several such disasters take place timely in the region.

Source: Swami Upendra, The Logical Indian, 18 July 2016.

A major reason for these landslides according to some environmentalists are the unplanned buildings which are built mostly to provide habitation to the tourists. Also, there is an increase in the number of tourists every year, but the land is not suitable to occupy such high number of people. Scientists generally define three main causes of landslides namely geology (characteristics of material which makes up the land), morphology (structure of the land) and human activity. It is believed by scientists that the Kedarnath tragedy fell in man-made category. If we carefully analyse the above causes, we will realise that all these elements are present in the state of Uttarakhand which make the region more prone to landslides. The Geographical reason as stated by the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority[iv] is the location of the state where movement of Indian plates towards China cause constant stress on the rocks, making them feeble. It lies near the Himalayas and is a rocky region. The state has the greatest number of wobbly zones in northern India making it ecologically sensitive. Another reason stated is Deforestation. The roots of trees help in holding the soil together and causes less soil erosion by binding them, but constant cutting of trees in the region has made the land even more weak.

According to recent reports, the state government is addressing this issue by treating landslide prone zones by using bioengineering practices for a permanent solution.[v] As a first step, 23 such zones are identified by the government. This first phase is backed by World Bank and is called the U-Prepare Project. The plan is to stable the land of those zones eternally. The government will also be coming up with solid Land laws for the state to stop those with unsure families to purchase land.[vi] Land laws have existed in the state previously, but the provision of questioning the person and checking its background is a new one.

Source: Nepal Live Today, 7 August 2023.

Conclusion

We may say that the government is making efforts on their part, but what is important is for the people to understand the sensitivity of the region and discourage in activities like deforestation which make the area more vulnerable than it initially is. Also as discussed earlier, most of the incidents that take place mainly occur due to man-made activities, even the 2013 Kedarnath flood. The government’s efforts to tackle with this problem is a welcome move, but they should also try to sensitize people at an individual level. The collective co-ordination of both will definitely make us achieve better results.

References [i] Crooks and Gunther,(2023), Landslide, National Geographic https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/landslide/ [ii] Azad,(2021), 51% Uttarakhand in ‘high’, ‘very high’ landslide susceptible zones: Study, Times of India (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/51-ukhand-area-in-high-very-high-landslide-susceptible-zones-study/articleshow/88418654.cms [iii] Here is what happened in Kedarnath and rest of Uttarakhand (2018), The Indian Express https://indianexpress.com/article/research/here-is-what-happened-in-kedarnath-and-rest-of-uttarakhand-in-2013-5482050/ [iv] Landslide, Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority https://usdma.uk.gov.in/natural-disaster-14.aspx#:~:text=India%20has%20the%20highest%20mountain,prone%20to%20landslides%20and%20earthquakes. [v] Green Technology Treatment for 23 landslide zones in Uttarakhand, (2023), Drishti IAS https://www.drishtiias.com/state-pcs-current-affairs/green-technology-treatment-for-23-landslide-zones-in-uttarakhand [vi] Kautilya Singh, (2023), Buying Uttarakhand Land? Be ready for Background check, Times of India https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/buying-uttarakhand-land-be-ready-for-background-check/articleshow/99997238.cms?from=mdr

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*This article was authored By Shreya Doneriya, Student from Symbiosis Law School, Noida and reviewed by Samiksha Biswakarma, Student from Symbiosis Law School, Noida.