Tuesday, 28 February 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
SDC Foundation releases disaster & accident synopsis for January
Founder of the SDC Foundation, Anoop Nautiyal said that he expects that the Uttarakhand government will study and adopt the Odisha model for disaster management, a model that has also been praised by the United Nations. The Odisha model offers important lessons on strengthening disaster risk governance, investing in preparedness and scenario planning, and spreading greater understanding of disaster risk. Nautiyal said this after the Dehradun-based think tank released its Uttarakhand Disaster and Accident Synopsis (UDAS) for the month of January 2023.
According to the report, there was no large-scale disaster or accident in the State in January that took place on a particular day in which there was a loss of life and property. The report is based largely on the land subsidence in Joshimath. Apart from this, the report also cites earthquake tremors and avalanches in the Chamoli district.
A major aspect of UDAS’s January report is that it has provided daily date-wise information about the events that took place pertaining to the Joshimath land subsidence in January. It also mentions the specific condition of cracks in the land, houses and roads along with the problems faced by the people of the region. The report cites the government’s efforts to provide relief to the people in Joshimath. Apart from this, the UDAS report also elaborates on the ongoing government and scientific surveys and the continuous water leakage in Jaypee Colony just below Joshimath.
The report focuses not only on the incident of aquifer bursting in Jaypee Colony but also the amount of water discharged from here from the first day to the next several days. The report quotes residents of Joshimath, voicing their frustration that the steps taken by the government are simply not enough. The first glimpse of cracks in Joshimath were observed in 2021 – had the government listened and been pro-active at that time, this situation would not have come today. Quoting scientists from the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, UDAS states that the rate of land subsidence is double in Joshimath. In the report, incidents of land subsidence have also been mentioned in Karnprayag of Chamoli district and Atali village of Tehri among others.
Nautiyal expressed hope that the UDAS monthly report will be helpful for the political leadership, policy makers, officials, researchers, educational institutions, civil society organisations and media houses. Along with hopefully being an impetus for change, it can also be studied to develop State policies for the reduction of losses due to accidents and disasters in Uttarakhand.
