The State government claims to have learnt lessons from last year’s disaster but lack of coordinated efforts is hampering rehabilitation works. While the Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre (DMMC) claims to have revamped its functioning, lack of scientific approach by other departments is likely to dilute the disaster mitigation efforts.
The Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre (DMMC) executive director Piyoosh Rautela said that lessons had definitely been learnt from last year’s disaster. These had been incorporated in the practices to be adopted in disaster scenario.However, when asked about the lack of coordinated effort diluting efficacy of disaster management works, Rautela said that though disaster management was the priority of the DMMC it could not be so with all the departments.
It is worth mentioning here that the locals and activists lament that one year after the disaster, there has been little change in the preparedness, monitoring and regulation for landslides and other disasters.They point out that companies implementing hydro power projects have continued to dump construction debris along river banks even though such improper dumping creates the risk of flooding as evidenced in Srinagar last year.
Indiscriminate detonations are also being carried out for road works with the Government acknowledging that though such actions should be avoided, the priority was to facilitate resumption of traffic on the Char Dham Yatra circuit.