BW Explains: Why ‘Devabhoomi’ Suffers From Series Of Mishaps?

When the Kedarnath tragedy took place in 2013, environmentalists and Indian meteorologists called it a signal of nature to resist human intervention. The gravity of loss that happened in the region was a clear showcase of nature’s wrath. On 12 November, one more tragedy happened when under construction Silkyara-Barkot tunnel on the Yamunotri National Highway collapsed and trapped 41 labourers under it. 

The accident took place 200 metres before the mouth of the tunnel, just after rescue teams had been deployed along with modern machines to save the trapped lives. There are also a team of geologists assigned to determine the possible reason for accidents. Also, the state government has formed a six-member expert committee to investigate the cause of the collapse of the section of the tunnel which is led by the Director of Uttarakhand Landslide Mitigation and Management Centre. The rescue teams have succeeded in establishing communication with the trapped workers, and food and other essentials are being provided to them.

But, the question is why even in the presence of advanced technology and skilled workers, still such havoc accidents are taking lives and disrupting the development path?

Records Of Accidents 

In the Kedarnath tragedy of 2013, According to a report released in 2014 by the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), a total of 169 people died and 4,021 went missing, who were later presumed to be dead. Apart from that the region constantly faces extreme weather conditions frequently. Being called Devabhoomi (Land of the lord), Uttarakhand consists of a huge panorama of beautiful hills and the origin of prominent rivers. It would not be an exaggeration to call the region a paradise for India. 

According to the data of the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), every year, landslides, flash floods and cloudbursts take up hundreds of lives in Uttarakhand, Between 2018 and 2021, Uttarakhand reported 253 landslide incidents, which resulted in the death of 127 people. 

Due to the beauty and religious significance of the region, tourism is the major source of revenue for the state. According to some estimates, tourism contributes about 4.4 per cent to the State's Gross Domestic Product and employs 2 per cent of the state’s population (Tourism is part of the services sector which overall contributes over 51 per cent to the total GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product) from 2004-05 to 2013-14). Over 99 per cent of the tourists are Indian. Because of frequent natural disasters, tourism in the state suffers. According to a report, after 2013 the flash floods 2013 in the state resulted in a 30 per cent dip in tourism.

Factors Leading To Accidents 

The most stipulated reason for all these accidents is the topography and geography of the region itself. According to a report, Uttarakhand’s unique geography and topography make it particularly vulnerable to disasters. Being located near the Himalayas region, the state is prone to earthquakes, landslides, cloudbursts, flash floods, avalanches, as well as droughts. However, leaving to it geography, it cannot be left increasing and taking up thousands of lives every day. One common factor that is always being pointed out by every geologist after every natural disaster is that human intervention in nature’s way has increased over the years, hence these accidents are the repercussions of the same. 

The biggest challenge of these Himalayan states is to prepare themselves for disasters as well as maintain the balance between nature and their aspirations of urbanisation. 

Referred to a research paper, Disaster Management: A Case Study of Uttarakhand, “With people from the plains interested in a quick guided tour of the hills in a vehicle...the local authorities have ignored the carrying capacity and cumulative impact of dams and illegal construction on the fragile Himalayas.” 

 Possible Preparedness & Solution 

Like other regions of the country and world, Himalayan states deserve to get an equal chance to expand and develop but the authorities and inhabitants should not forget that nature is the master of the region and in any way they will have to create balance. Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) is the nodal institution for planning, coordination and monitoring of disaster prevention. 

Natural disasters are inevitable, hence making state-prepared and resilient is the only way to deal with them. USDMA invest in disaster risk reduction for resilience. It also enhances disaster preparedness for effective response and to “Build Back Better” in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

These frequent disasters not take lives only but also slow down the development pace of the state that determines the future of youth, women and every citizen of Uttarakhand. A combination of government policies and citizen preparedness along with the use of the right technology can reduce the number of such mishaps in the state.