Monsoon 2025 has affected Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand highlighting the importance of disaster management in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR).
Reasons for higher vulnerability of IHR to disasters
- Geology and Tectonics: Himalayas are young, fold mountains with ongoing tectonic activity; this makes them highly susceptible to earthquakes (Seismic Zones IV and V), landslides.
- Climatic impacts: It includes changes and variability in temperature and rainfall trends creating intense rainfall, cloudbursts, and avalanches. (Uttarakhand 2013, 2025 floods)
- Anthropogenic: Road construction, tunneling, hydroelectric projects, encroachment on riverbanks and floodplains, etc.
- Land-use change: Due to human influence accelerates soil erosion, slope instability due to various projects (like Tehri Dam).
- Others: Low adaptive capacity, accelerated glacial retreat and permafrost melting, Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), etc.
Existing disaster response mechanism
- Multi-agency Coordination and Regional implementation: Collaboration among NDMA, NDRF, state disaster authorities, Central Water Commission, IMD as seen in recent Punjab floods.
- The Army, IAF, ITBP operations in treacherous terrain for relief and evacuation.
- Use of technology: The use of drones, satellite communication, OneWeb links, Doppler radars for prevention, detection and response.
- Community-based Preparedness: The NDMA’s Aapda Mitra (Friends in Disaster) programme.
- Risk Indexing: CWC has also finalized the Criteria for Risk Indexing of Glacial Lakes.
Way Forward for better preparedness
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