Averting disaster

THE National Disaster Management Authority’s assessment offers a comprehensive overview of what led to widespread destruction in Himachal Pradesh last monsoon and the way forward. The state government would do well to go through the findings and the recommendations with utmost seriousness. Calamitous events need to be preserved in public memory to draw vital lessons, and as a reminder of the consequences of ignoring warning signs. The report says that rapid urbanisation, land misuse and the absence of building norms in rural areas pose a major threat to the safety of houses. Unregulated development in the fragile mountainous ecosystems has created a cascade of environmental and infrastructural challenges, amplifying the disaster risks.

There is no substitute, the study says time and again, to the strict adherence to regulations and regular audits of constructions. It reiterates what several experts have been consistently pointing out. Unauthorised structures on steep slopes and disregard for building norms in rural areas outside planning limits pose a major threat to safety in case of a natural disaster. Delaying a thorough relook at building bylaws and a refusal to clamp down on blocking of natural drainage systems will only add to the vulnerability. An impactful insight is to encourage the traditional wood and mud constructions, which induce resilience in the rigid masonry walls.

There is no denying that urbanisation and the tourism sector, which are major contributors to the hill state’s economic growth, make policy turnarounds a difficult task. Whatever the constraints, status quo is not an option for Himachal Pradesh.

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