Syllabus: Disaster and disaster management
Context and Human Impact
- The year 2025 recorded nearly 331 days of climate disruptions, causing over 4,000 disaster-related deaths.
- Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand suffered the heaviest toll from floods, landslides, and avalanches.
- Towns including Dharali, Harsil, Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Kullu, Mandi, and Kishtwar faced severe devastation.
- Recurrent cloudbursts and flash floods indicate a shift toward a new climate-driven normal.
Infrastructure Expansion in Fragile Zones
- The Uttarakhand Forest Department approved diversion of 43 hectares of forest land.
- Nearly 7,000 Devdar trees are slated for felling under the Char Dham road project.
- The project follows the DL-PS standard, mandating a 12-metre paved road surface.
- The area lies north of the Main Central Thrust, where major infrastructure is discouraged.
Ecological Significance of Devdar Forests
- Devdar root systems stabilise slopes, reducing landslides and avalanche debris movement.
- The forests protect Ganga water quality within the Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone.
- Antimicrobial compounds promote beneficial microbial activity in mountain stream ecosystems.
- Tree cover maintains cool microclimates and dissolved oxygen levels for aquatic life.
Project Flaws and Environmental Consequences
- The project bypassed a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment through fragmentation.
- Nearly 800 active landslide zones emerged along 700 kilometres of widened roads.
- Vertical hill-cutting violated the natural angle of repose of Himalayan geology.
- Indiscriminate muck dumping polluted water sources and destabilised fragile slopes.
Policy Contradictions and Governance Gaps
- Development contradicts the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (2014).
- The mission mandates glacier monitoring, biodiversity protection, and hazard mitigation.
- High-altitude regions have warmed 50% faster than the global average since 1950.
Climate Change and Risk Multiplication
- Erratic rainfall and accelerated glacial melt intensify flash flood and landslide risks.
- Clearing forests removes natural soil anchors, amplifying erosion and slope instability.
- Unregulated tourism and traffic worsen stress on fragile mountain ecosystems.
Conclusion
- Sustainable development requires disaster resilience prioritisation over disaster-prone infrastructure expansion.