Demand for Disaster Mitigation Action Plan

Our Correspondent

PALAMPUR, August 11

After the recent collapse of build near Solan killing 15 persons, flash floods and devastation caused by heavy rains in the state, several organizations, NGOs, environment groups and public bodies have demanded for the setting up a “Disaster Mitigation Action Plan” to cope up with the natural disasters.

Himachal falls among first five disaster prone states of the country in respect of natural hazards like earthquakes, flash floods triggered by cloud burst, landslides, avalanches and forest fires.

Most parts of the Kinnaur, Kulu, Shimla, Solan, Kangra and Chamba districts are prone to landslides and flash floods because of reckless cutting of hills, blasting of rocks and deforestation by the power projects.

In last 10 years over 40 major cloudbursts and flash floods were reported from the different parts of the state in which over 4500 human lives were lost, property worth 5000 crores, damaged or washed away.