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.