Experts of 7 institutes to study causes of landslides, flashfloods

Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 16

The state government has entrusted the task of undertaking studies to ascertain the cause of cloudbursts, flashfloods and landslides to experts of seven premiere institutions such as the Geological Survey of India (GSI), Chandigarh; CSIR-CBRI, Roorkee; Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun; IIT-Mandi, NIT-Hamirpur, Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Kangra; and the HPU, Shimla.

The experts have been requested to submit their report along with suggestions within two or three months so that further detailed investigation can be taken up. “To move ahead in this direction, the institutions involved will carry out preliminary geological investigations at 10 to 15 most vulnerable sites and submit a report on each of the districts along with some suggestive mitigation measures to the state government,” said Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena here today.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had said that considering the sharp increase in the number of landslides in different parts of the state, the government would take the help of academic and research institutions to prepare a report and adopt scientific mitigation measures for land subsidence.

He said that based on the preliminary findings, the experts would also suggest some prominent and vulnerable locations which could be taken up for further detailed investigation taking geological, geo-technical and geophysical parameters into consideration for proper scientific management of landslides across Himachal.

The HP Disaster Management Authority (HPSDMA), Department of Revenue, has assigned the study in Shimla city, Kalka-Shimla section of the national highway-5, and Jeori-Samdoh and Mandi-Kullu sections of the highway to the GSI, Chandigarh.

The study in the worst-affected districts of Kullu, Mandi and Lahaul and Spiti has been assigned to the IIT-Mandi; Solan district to the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun; Chamba and Kangra districts to Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Kangra; and Shimla and Kinnaur districts (excluding Shimla city) to the HPU. The NIT-Hamirpur experts will conduct a study in Hamirpur, Bilaspur and Una districts while the CSIR-CBRI, Roorkee, will study landslides in Sirmaur district.

“The occurrence of natural hazards emanating from the effects of climatological variations is a matter of immediate concern. Every year, the state experiences the fury of nature in various forms like cloudbursts, flashfloods, landslides, earthquakes, avalanches and droughts,” said Saxena.

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