This is monsoon time, and during this part of the year it is common to experience floods in the plains and landslides in the mountains. This is what Mother Nature has been doing since times immemorial. Really speaking there is no big a deal in the occurrence of these incidences, particularly during the monsoon period. […]
Uttarakhand
Electrocution at Chamoli in Uttarakhand
Operator of the Namami Gange Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) operated by Jal Sansthan at Chamoli in Uttarakhand, Shri Ganesh was reportedly electrocuted on 18 July, 2023. Police team along with officials of Jal Sansthan and locals went to the incident site for inquest related formalities of the deceased on 19 July 2023 around 1130 hrs. […]
Regulate high altitude pilgrimage
In the evening hours – on the trek route to Hemkund Sahib – glimpse of the crowd of tired but satisfied people slowly stepping down to reach the road head is commonplace. Some of these are in groups, but then some prefer travelling solo and maintain distance. Others like to gossip and share experiences – […]
आपदाओं का होना या ना होना हमारे हाथ
Disasters are caused by the process of slowly accruing vulnerability due to human actions and decisions, and certainly not by nature.
Demystifying ground subsidence around Joshimath
Joshimath in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand has been witnessing distress of slope material since 1970. Active and severe ground subsidence is however being witnessed presently in portions of the town that were hitherto considered free from the problem of slope distress – Sinnghdhar, Marwari and Manoharbagh. This is attributed to the breach of a water […]
Imported cheetah vs desi guldar
Elementary history lessons are enough to tell us that all that comes from alien lands does not always have savour and flavour. Consequences of centuries of blatant loot by East India Company and later British Raj proves this – from global leader in manufacturing and exports commanding around 23 percent of the global economy at the beginning of the […]
Human psychology and aggravated disaster risk
Despite geographical, religious, cultural and linguistic diversity humans think, act and react in amazingly similar fashion, particularly during distress and life threatening situations. This is attributed to evolution, as behavioural traits providing relative advantage and maximizing chances of survival get engrained in our behavior and psychology. Though evolved through the struggle for survival and aimed […]
संता – बंता और भूकम्प सुरक्षा
संता – भाई आजकल कुछ ज्यादा भूकम्प नहीं आ रहे हैं? बंता – हो सकता है भूकम्प तो उतने ही आ रहे हो पर हमें पता ज्यादा चल रहा हो – संवेदनशील उपकरणों व मीडिया के कारण? संता – क्या मतलब? बंता – बाकी की आपदाओं का तो भाई पता नहीं, पर दुनिया भर के भूकम्प के […]
Joshimath like ground fissure reports
Cracks and fissures are being reported from many places of Uttarakhand soon after the recent ground subsidence incidence around Joshimath, cause of which still eludes the scientists and experts. It is a cause of serious concern as neither the people not the state are in a position to bear the burden of similar incidences.
Ground subsidence around Joshimath
Habitations have come into existence, primarily as a consequence of basic human urge to socialise and stay together, perhaps for safety and security, more than anything else. It is around these settlements that humans started various livelihood chores including agriculture, hunting and gathering. Settlements in the hills Agriculture being the primary economic activity in the […]