17 Aug 2021 Landslides in Himachal Pradesh
Context:
- Landslides in the state of Himachal Pradesh have led to the death of 14 people.
- This incident follows the incident before 2 days where a group of tourists lost their lives in landslides
- Added to these landslides are the mud, debris running down on the vehicle passing by.
- The estimated number of people losing their lives is not yet revealed.
Why are such landslides occurring in Himachal Pradesh?
- 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.
- High rainfall is received during the monsoon season.
- Climate change has impacted the environment and the frequency of these events has been aggravated.
- 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
- 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.
- Technical measures: High engineered structure for Dams and roads based on research projects.
- 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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