The Uttarakhand Space Application Centre (USAC) will use high resolution satellite images provided by the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Hyderabad, to assess the damage in valleys of the Alaknanda, Mandakini, Bhagirathi and in Pithoragarh. A report based on the assessment will be submitted to the State.
Two officials of USAC have gone to NRSC and will also seek details on the satellite images of the area near the source of Alaknanda river west of Badrinath where a lake was concluded to have been formed by landslide debris on the river, though this was refuted by scientists of the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology and Geological Survey of India who had undertaken an aerial tour of the area in question.
According to the USAC director Dr MM Kimothi, two officials of the Centre had gone to NRSC to collect data and high resolution satellite images which will be used for assessing the damage caused by heavy rains, landslides and floods in prominent river valleys in Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag and Pithoragarh districts. The damage assessment will be submitted to the Government. The USAC officials will also collect details on the satellite images released by NRSC which showed possible formation of a lake on the Alaknanda near its source due to landslide debris. While Kimothi stresses that the images were not incorrect, scientists of the WIHG and GSI have said that there was no lake where the satellite image showed it to be.
In another development, Kimothi attended a meeting of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry which has formed its Uttarakhand Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation task force. According to the USAC director, the use of geospatial technology is one of the five areas on which this task force will focus to facilitate relief and rehabilitation in the disaster-affected State with the cooperation of various government and corporate bodies.