Not having learnt much from the disaster that wreaked havoc in Uttarakhand during June last year, the State Government appears to be maintaining the apathetic attitude and inefficiency that have exacerbated the threat of disaster faced by many living in the mountainous rural regions of the State. A village where 10 persons had died due to landslide in 2002 and where the people are still living in fear of landslide is yet to be categorised as disaster-prone by the authorities.
The people of Marwadi village located in the Bhilangna Block in Tehri district are living in fear due to the persistent threat of landslides, which has been aggravated due to the rainwater flowing through homes in the village following consistent rains here.The villagers consider their hamlet disaster-prone as 10 persons had died in the village due to landslide in 2002, but the district administration has not taken any concrete action to rehabilitate the affected people so far.
Gram Pradhan leela Devi said that following incessant rains the rainwater has started flowing through the homes in the village which has forced many villagers to abandon their homes and take shelter in the cow sheds.The villagers also rued the fact that despite the village being disaster prone the district administration has not taken any action to relocate and rehabilitate them at a safer place yet.
She said that if the Government remains apathetic and does not act fast as required then the governmental inefficiency could result in another calamity in the region. When contacted the District administration officials informed that a survey to determine the disaster affected status of the village was in progress.
It is pertinent to mention here that anomalies in the administration and official apathy are considered to be major factors responsible for exacerbating the impact of natural disasters in Uttarakhand.locals at the Nautaad village in Ghansali Tehsil where at least six persons and 10 cattle died following a cloudburst late on Wednesday night state that this disaster could have been mitigated had the authorities taken action on the concerns raised by the villagers.
They point out that a flood in the nearby gorge had caused a landslide last year. The locals had been since then demanding construction of a safety wall on the side of this gorge but this was not done. Overflow from the same gorge wreaked disaster in the village this year.