Despite disaster management being the primary responsibility of civil administration, it is often overwhelmed by disaster incidences by virtue of their magnitude, impact and geographical coverage. Long drawn rescue and relief operations together with inclement weather conditions and disrupted transport network force the civil administration to resort to the support of various specialised agencies. … [Read More...] about SAMANVAY 2022 – Day 1
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Santa-Banta on landslides
संता – भाई रोज सुनते रहते हैं, आखिर यह भू-स्खलन होता क्या हैं ? बंता – Land यानी आम भाषा में कहे तो चट्टान, पत्थर, मिट्टी व मलबा। यह सब जब Slide करे या ढाल पर नीचे आये, तो उसे हम Landslide या भू- स्खलन कहते हैं। संता – वो तो ठीक है, परन्तु यह मलबा नीचे […]
For the cause of geology
The Darwinian dictum of survival of the fittest doesn’t apply just to the animal kingdom. It is as much applicable to all the fields where there is competition for staying relevant. Darwinism in academics In the academic arena, growth of any discipline is a function of its student enrolment, which is often tailored by […]
Avalanches around Kedarnath
In September 2022 avalanche activity was observed repeatedly in the mountains to the north of Kedarnath in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. Presence of pilgrims and others in large numbers facilitated pictographic and video records of these, and stories projecting these as posing a major hazard to the township and pilgrims became viral on social media. A […]
Skewed mitigation and increasing flood risk
Despite the situation being continuously exacerbated by climate change and unplanned urbanisation, most vulnerable of the 1.81 billion flood affected persons fail to get prioritised under risk reduction programs due to skewed selection criteria. The study Flood exposure and poverty in 188 countries – an article published recently in Nature Communications by Jun Rentschler, […]
Committee recommends monitoring of slopes around Joshimath
Observation pillars were erected on the identified vulnerable slopes around the Naini lake after devastating Sher-ka-Danda landslide of 1880 and these were monitored using theodolite till 1997 to assess the threat posed to the lake city and undertake mitigation measures, besides sounding a warning when required. Monitoring unstable slopes But then Joshimath in Chamoli district […]
Janmashtami cloudburst around Dehradun
The article posted a week ago, focused on failing risk perception of the people of the region – various factors were put forth therein as inducing these people to knowingly take risk. But then, these people routinely struggle to make the ends meet, and are for that matter left with little options to choose from. […]
Failing risk perception instincts
Doesn’t repeated flood-induced losses in the hills indicate our failing risk perception and avoidance instincts? If so, we have to dig deep to set the things right. Risk Risk refers to expected or anticipated losses to a given element at risk from an identified hazard over a specific time period. It is important to note that the […]
Geologists for sustainable development
Buildings can certainly be constructed in the hills without slope modification utilising natural gradient of the slope, and thereby curtailing the cost of site development as also managing the menace of debris disposal besides making the end product aesthetically pleasing and utilitarian. Roads in mountainous terrain Roads cannot however be constructed without preparing a continuous flat […]
Swimmer’s body illusion
Sometime back I resolved to do something about my sedentary lifestyle and bring back my body in shape. Needless to say that Doctor’s advice for physical activity so as to normalise blood – sugar level had been the driving force. So I contemplated taking up some sport. Joggers however seemed scrawny and unhappy. Moreover friends around had […]
Mental resolve and success
It all started from the Dutt ji’s tea shop that was out of bounds for students at Sainik School, and the motive was not too complicated; the innocent mind just wanted to get big hurriedly, and acquire a macho and rebellious image. Made for each other There is no hesitation admitting that it did help […]
Traffic woes of Dehradun
Not going into the environmental implication of obliterating the canals, as also accompanying depleted storm water drainage capacity and increased occurrences of waterlogging, the endeavour resulted in wider roads – width of most roads in Dehradun city having been more than doubled since the creation of the state. Together with this a number of flyovers […]
Apada Prahari for disaster resilience
Believe it or not – Mother Nature does often warn us of an impending hazard. So, the consequent disaster can’t really be dubbed as being Nature’s wrath – culpability of our ignorance can’t be shifted solely to Mother Nature. We have to accept our culpability in letting the hazard take disastrous proportion. Mother Nature warning […]
प्रकृति के संकेत और आपदा प्रहरी
छोटी हो या बड़ी, हर किसी आपदा के बाद उससे हुवे जान-माल के नुकसान के साथ ही हमारे समाचार माध्यमों द्वारा देश-दुनिया के बीच परोसी जाने वाली मसालेदार व झंझकोड़ कर रख देने वाली मानवीय त्रासदी की खबरें हर किसी को यह सोचने पर विवश कर देती हैं कि काश कुछ कर के इस आपदा को […]
ऐसी भी क्या जल्दी है
गर्मियों में लोगो का पहाड़ो की ओर रुख करना स्वाभाविक है, और तापमान में अचानक व अप्रत्याक्षित वृद्धि होने पर आने वाले लोगो की तादात में बढ़ोत्तरी होने में भी कुछ अस्वाभाविक नहीं हैं। यहाँ उत्तराखण्ड में चारधाम यात्रा के नाम से जानी जाने वाली बद्रीनाथ, केदारनाथ, गंगोत्री व यमुनोत्री की यात्रा हर साल मई व अक्टूबर […]
ATIL plaguing Uttarakhand
Yes, agricultural terrace induced landslide is what is meant by ATIL and you have heard it right. Idea might sound insane but then, backed by experience, common sense, insight and intuition, it shouldn’t be way far off the bullseye. Having witnessed ATIL caused devastation way back in 1998, it was hard to believe then that […]
You can’t relax in a hurry
Be it tourism or pilgrimage – time, energy, money and resources spent on it are not really justified if one is unable to relax and enjoy, and gets back home traumatised, drained out and tired. Weekend pilgrimage Weekend tourism has been trending, but then the concept seems getting extended to pilgrimage as well. So, […]
Neglected terraces & enhanced landslide risk
Might sound bizarre, but you are soon to realize the logic as also the seriousness of the issue and if not addressed effectively it is to pose a major threat for the hilly terrain of Uttarakhand. Terracing: Agriculture + Terracing is one of the techniques often utilized even today for treating the landslide. It reduces […]
पलायन, खेती-बाड़ी और आपदा
हो सकता हैं और बहुत मुमकिन है कि अभी आपको यह सब किसी सिरफिरे का फितूर लग रहा हो पर सच मानिये और विश्वास करिये – यह विषय अत्यन्त गम्भीर होने के साथ ही पहाड़ में रह रहे लोगो के भविष्य से जुड़ा है। हमारे सीढ़ीदार खेत भू-स्खलन से प्रभावित पहाड़ी ढाल को सीढ़ीदार स्वरुप […]
Rosemary for everlasting youth
We in India use a lot of herbs and spices and no meal of ours is complete without pinch of these. May be routine use of these is linked to the knowledge that these contain a lot of antioxidants and the quantity is significantly more than that in fruits or vegetables. Rosemary is one such herb and […]
Risk and uncertainty
We are inclined to favour known probabilities or take risk, rather than facing uncertainty where probabilities off the outcome are not known.
In the wrong queue
Be it at the railway reservation or airport check in counter, like most people you don’t generally stand in just any queue. Your mind subconsciously assesses the number of persons in each queue together with the pace with which these are moving, and quickly figures out the queue where you don’t have to wait for […]
Early warning for Dhauliganga-like disasters
Scientific research, howsoever promising, requires gestation time for practical application and the same stands true for avalanche warning in Himalayas. The journalists are therefore advised to report scientific research outputs with caution.
Non-monsoonal landslide in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand
Most landslides occur during the monsoon season, but the one around Sari in Rudraprayag district of Uttrakhand occurred during the winter season on February 28, 2022. Despite there being no causalities, occurrence of landslide during the winter season is certainly unusual. After winter season flood in Dhauliganga in February 2021 and post-monsoon rainfall induced landslides in Nainital in October 2021, this incidence highlights the surprises and challenges in store for disaster managers, and they are accordingly required to gear up their preparedness.
Pothayanar over Pythagoras
Tamil mathematician and poet Pothayanar had in 800 BC developed an easy methodology of calculating hypotenuse of a right-angle triangle without going into the intricacies of finding square root.
Explosives and earthquake threat
Restricting explosive use in construction works in Himalayas is welcome and this is to help in effectively managing landslides in Himalayas. Explosive use however does not have any impact on earthquake risk.
7 फरवरी 2021 की वो धौलीगंगा आपदा
Peculiarities of Dhauliganga flood of February 7, 2021 aroused interest of scientific community and much has been written so far on the causes, losses and response. It is however the turn of the DRR managers to act and put in place appropriate techno-legal regime to make the region safe from disasters in future.
Revisiting Dhauliganga flood of 2021
Peculiarities of Dhauliganga flood of February 7, 2021 aroused interest of scientific community and much has been written so far on the causes, losses and response. It is however the turn of the DRR managers to act and put in place appropriate techno-legal regime to make the region safe from disasters in future.
पुष्पावती की उठा – पटक
This is a story of manupulative inputs resulting in anarchy in Pushpavat, and you are to revisit the events and decipher the management rules.