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 […]
आपदा प्रतिरोध्यता के लिये आपदा प्रहरी
आप माने या न माने पर ज्यादातर आपदाओं से पहले प्रकृति हमें स्पष्ट या परोक्ष रूप में चेतावनी देती हैं – प्रकृति मौका देती है हमें कि हम समय रहते उसके इशारों को समझे व अपनी सुरक्षा का प्रबन्ध करें। 1998 का मध्यमहेश्वर भू-स्खलन 1998 में रुद्रप्रयाग जनपद की मध्यमहेश्वर घाटी में हुवे भू-स्खलनों के कारण […]
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 […]