Landslides in Himachal Pradesh

17 Aug 2021 Landslides in Himachal Pradesh

Context:

1. Landslides in the state of Himachal Pradesh have led to the death of 14 people.
2. This incident follows the incident before 2 days where a group of tourists lost their lives in landslides
3. Added to these landslides are the mud, debris running down on the vehicle passing by.
4. The estimated number of people losing their lives is not yet revealed.

Why are such landslides occurring in Himachal Pradesh?

1. It is in a High-risk seismic zone: The landslide Hazard Zonation map terms 70 percent of the state as a high-risk zone and 14 percent as a severe to the high-risk zone. Also, 32 percent of the area of the state is under the High seismic zone region.
2. High rainfall is received during the monsoon season.
3. Climate change has impacted the environment and the frequency of these events has been aggravated. 
4. The anthropogenic activities in these regions have also led to induced man-made stresses in these areas. The construction of hydropower dams, the building of more roads have added to it.

A solution-oriented approach

1. Administrative measures: Changes in the policy regarding dams. The building of roads should be changed keeping in view the seismic zones and high-risk zones.
2. Technical measures: High engineered structure for Dams and roads based on research projects.
3. Political measures: The political will of the leaders is necessary to align the policies with a sustainable approach.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus: GS1 (Geography)

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Yojna IAS Current Affairs Team