Chief Minister Harish Rawat has stressed that the State doesn’t need just reconstruction but also needs improved construction. The CM said this at the inauguration of a three-day symposium on tackling the challenge of slope stabilisation and landslide prevention organised by the State Disaster Management Authority in collaboration with the World Bank and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Speaking on the occasion, the CM said, “Uttarakhand is sensitive from the disaster point of view with landslides caused by rain or cloudburst being a serious problem faced in the State.” Citing a scientific study, Rawat said, “On an average, two landslides occur per square km in this Himalayan region.”
“National highways especially the NH-58 to Badrinath gets damaged every year. Various attempts have been made to resolve the problem of landslide here. We are using improved technology in the construction of roads and bridges. The homes being constructed under the Uttarakhand disaster recovery project have features incorporated from the disaster point of view and are also situated in geologically secure areas. Such an initiative has been taken in the State for the first time,” he added.
Rawat further said, “To enable accurate forecast of natural disasters in the future, a project implementation unit has been formed for capacity building, disaster risk management and early warning system.” The CM stressed on the need for detailed discussion on the subject of slope stabilisation.
He said, “We will have to see how to become capable of forecasting landslides to minimise the damage resulting from the event. The State Government has identified 43 highly-sensitive landslide areas which necessarily require proper treatment. We will also have to see the type of policies implemented in similar situations elsewhere in the world so that the measures suited to the sensitive ecosystem of Uttarakhand can be implemented. High level technology will have to be put to use for the treatment of Sirohbagad, Sakanidhar and lambagad where recurring landslides are experienced,” said the CM.
Departmental secretaries and officials from various departments and agencies apart from subject experts were among those present on the occasion.