Central team visits disaster-hit areas in Mandi to investigate rising natural calamities

In response to the increasing frequency of natural disasters in Himachal Pradesh, a high-level multi-disciplinary Central team visited the disaster-affected regions of Sarkol and Shankar Dehra in Karsog subdivision of Mandi district today. The visit was aimed at conducting a detailed scientific and environmental assessment of the underlying causes of recurrent natural calamities such as cloudbursts, heavy rainfall and landslides.

The team was constituted by the Government of India to study the pattern and root causes behind the intensifying natural disasters in the hilly terrain of Himachal Pradesh. During the field visit, the team conducted inspections, collected ground data and interacted with local officials to understand the scale and impact of the disasters.

The team visited Sarkol and Shankar Dehra — two locations that have recently witnessed severe devastation due to heavy rains and associated natural events. The team's objective was to study: Geological and environmental triggers behind the disasters, short- and long-term impacts on local communities and infrastructure and potential measures to mitigate future risks.

This initiative is seen as a proactive step towards developing a disaster-resilient framework for vulnerable hilly regions.

The multi-disciplinary team comprised renowned scientists, geologists, engineers and disaster management experts from prestigious national institutions. The members included: Col KP Singh, Advisor (Operations & Command), NDMA, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India (team leader); Dr SK Negi, Chief Scientist, CSIR-CBRI, Roorkee; Prof Arun Kumar, retired geologist, Manipur University; Dr Sushmita Joseph, research scientist; and Dr Neelima Satyam, professor, civil engineering, IIT-Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

The team was welcomed and briefed by Karsog SDM Gaurav Mahajan, who provided detailed information about the disaster-affected areas and coordinated the team's visit.