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GS Paper: GS3-19.Disaster and Disaster Management.

  • India’s G20 Presidency and Disaster Risk Management

    Central Idea

    • The endorsement of a new working group on disaster risk reduction by the G20, under India’s presidency, presents an opportunity to prioritize disaster risk financing and achieve the targets set by the Sendai framework for 2030. The increasing occurrence of natural and human-made catastrophes globally has highlighted the need for competent financial risk management and insurance.

    The Need for Disaster Risk Financing

    • Recent years have witnessed a surge in both natural and human-made catastrophes worldwide. Disasters not only exacerbate poverty and hinder development but also generate social polarization.
    • Lack of competent financial risk management and insurance has allowed risks to proliferate, causing havoc in society and the economy. Annual disaster losses have a significant impact on low-income economies

    The Role of the G20 in Strengthening Financial Risk Management

    • Enhancing Risk Understanding and Integration: The G20 can support countries in enhancing their understanding of disaster risks and integrating them into government planning and budget processes. This includes promoting the development and dissemination of risk assessment tools, methodologies, and best practices.
    • Strengthening Regulation and Supervision in the Insurance Industry: Effective regulation, legislation, and supervision are crucial for the insurance industry to play a proactive role in managing disaster risks. The G20 can facilitate dialogue and cooperation among regulators and policymakers to establish robust frameworks that ensure fair and transparent insurance practices
    • Facilitating Public-Private Partnerships: Public-private partnerships are essential for managing and financing disaster risks effectively. The G20 can foster an enabling environment for partnerships between governments, private sector entities, and financial institutions.
    • Shifting from Ex-post to Ex-ante Financing Mechanisms: Traditionally, financial resources for disaster response, recovery, and reconstruction have been mobilized after an event occurs (ex-post financing). The G20 can advocate for a shift towards ex-ante financing mechanisms, where financial resources are pre-arranged and readily available to respond to disasters.
    • Encouraging Investment in Disaster Risk Reduction: There is a scarcity of investment in a development-oriented approach that focuses on reducing disaster risks. The G20 can promote investment in disaster risk reduction by raising awareness about the benefits of resilience-building measures and creating incentives for both public and private sectors to allocate resources towards risk reduction initiatives.

    What is Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group (DRRWG)?

    • The Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group is a newly endorsed working group within the G20 that focuses on disaster risk reduction.
    • It serves as a platform for member countries to collaborate and share knowledge on effective strategies for managing and reducing disaster risks.
    • It aims to address key components of comprehensive financial management strategies for disaster risks, including risk assessment, insurance coverage, financial assistance, and risk transfer mechanisms.

    Facts for prelims

    What is Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)?

    • The CDRI is an international coalition of countries, UN agencies, multilateral development banks, the private sector, and academic institutions that aim to promote disaster-resilient infrastructure.
    • Its objective is to promote research and knowledge sharing in the fields of infrastructure risk management, standards, financing, and recovery mechanisms.
    • It was launched by the Indian PM Narendra Modi at the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit in September 2019.
    • CDRI’s initial focus is on developing disaster-resilience in ecological, social, and economic infrastructure.

    Significance of the Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group (DRRWG)

    • Knowledge Sharing and Collaboration: The DRRWG provides a platform for member countries to share knowledge, experiences, and best practices in disaster risk reduction. It facilitates collaboration and learning from diverse approaches and methodologies employed by different nations.
    • Harmonization and Standardization: The DRRWG promotes harmonization and standardization of definitions, methodologies, and data collection practices related to disaster risk assessment and financing. This improves comparability and enables better analysis and benchmarking of disaster risks across different regions.
    • Access to International Markets: By harmonizing definitions and methodologies, the DRRWG helps countries improve access to international (re)insurance markets. Standardized approaches and better data quality enhance the confidence of insurers and reinsurers, facilitating the availability of insurance coverage and risk transfer mechanisms.
    • Comprehensive Financial Management Strategies: The DRRWG aims to address all key components of comprehensive financial management strategies for disaster risks. Comprehensive strategies enhance countries’ abilities to manage and reduce disaster risks effectively.
    • Investment in Disaster Risk Reduction: The DRRWG emphasizes the importance of investment in disaster risk reduction initiatives. By providing screening criteria for disaster-resilient investments and entities, the DRRWG helps guide investment decisions toward reducing risks and building resilience.
    • Global Resilience Building: The efforts of the DRRWG contribute to global resilience-building against disasters. By fostering cooperation, sharing expertise, and promoting best practices, the DRRWG strengthens the collective capacity of member countries to mitigate, manage, and recover from disasters, ultimately enhancing global resilience.

    How India can guide G20’s disaster management initiatives?

    • Setting the Agenda: India, as the G20 president, can prioritize disaster management on the agenda of G20 meetings and discussions. By emphasizing the importance of disaster resilience and risk reduction, India can ensure that member countries address these issues at the highest level of international cooperation.
    • Knowledge Sharing and Capacity Building: India can lead efforts to facilitate knowledge sharing and capacity building among G20 member countries in the field of disaster management. This can involve organizing workshops, training programs, and conferences to promote the exchange of best practices, lessons learned, and innovative approaches.
    • Policy Advocacy: India can advocate for policy measures that strengthen disaster management capabilities. This includes encouraging the adoption of robust regulatory frameworks, promoting risk-based approaches, and supporting the integration of disaster risk reduction into national development plans and policies.
    • Financial Commitments: As the G20 president, India can encourage member countries to allocate financial resources towards disaster risk reduction and resilience-building initiatives. By highlighting the economic and social benefits of such investments, India can mobilize support for increased funding and financing mechanisms for disaster management.
    • Public-Private Partnerships: India can promote partnerships between governments and the private sector to enhance disaster management efforts. By fostering collaboration and sharing expertise, technologies, and resources, India can facilitate the development of innovative solutions and strengthen resilience across sectors.
    • International Cooperation: India can leverage its position as G20 president to strengthen international cooperation in disaster management. This involves collaborating with other international organizations, regional bodies, and stakeholders to coordinate efforts, share data and information, and foster a collective response to global disaster risks.

    Conclusion

    • Prioritizing disaster risk financing within the G20, under India’s presidency, presents an opportunity to convert intentions into investment opportunities. India’s experience in dealing with natural disasters positions it to lead in disaster risk management.

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    Also Read:

    Disasters at Himalayan Region (Uttarakhand)

  • Places in news: Nathu La

    nathu la

    Several people have been killed and many others are feared trapped under snow after a massive avalanche near Sikkim’s Nathu La Mountain pass.

    Nathu La Pass

    Location Sikkim, on the border between India and China
    Altitude 4,310 meters (14,140 ft)
    Importance Historical Silk Route
    Trade Reopened in 2006 for border trade between India and China
    Restrictions Only for Indian and Chinese nationals with a valid visa
    Connectivity Connects the Indian state of Sikkim with the Tibet Autonomous Region of China
    Military importance Strategic importance in the Sino-Indian War of 1962
    Tourism Restricted due to the sensitive nature of the region
    Weather Harsh and unpredictable, with heavy snowfall in winter months
    Border dispute The pass was closed by China after the 1962 war and was reopened only after the Chinese president visited India in 2003.

     

    How has it been at the centre stage of India-China disputes?

    • Sino-Indian War: In 1962, Nathu La pass was a battleground between the Indian and Chinese armies during the Sino-Indian War. The conflict resulted in casualties on both sides, with China ultimately capturing the pass.
    • Skirmishes in 1967: In 1967, there were several minor skirmishes between the Indian and Chinese armies near Nathu La pass. The conflict was resolved through diplomatic negotiations.
    • Standoff in 2017: In 2017, there was a 73-day-long standoff between the Indian and Chinese armies near the Doklam plateau, which is close to Nathu La pass. The dispute was over the construction of a road by China in the disputed area. The standoff ended with both sides agreeing to disengage.

  • States demand that ‘Lightning’ be declared a Natural Disaster

    Central idea: A few states have requested lightning to be declared a natural disaster due to the high number of deaths caused by it in the country.

    Why discuss this?

    • Around 2,500 people die every year due to lightning.
    • Present norms consider cyclones, droughts, earthquakes, fires, floods, tsunamis, hailstorms, landslides, avalanches, cloudbursts, pest attacks, frost, and cold waves as disasters covered under the State Disaster Response Fund.
    • Deliberations are necessary as it is a policy issue.

    What is lightning?

    • Scientifically, lightning is a rapid and massive discharge of electricity in the atmosphere some of which is directed towards earth.
    • The discharges are generated in giant moisture-bearing clouds that are 10-12 km tall.
    • The base of these clouds typically lie within 1-2 km of the Earth’s surface, while the top is 12-13 km away.
    • Temperatures in the top of these clouds are in the range of –35° to –45°C.

    Its formation

    • As water vapour moves upward in the cloud, the falling temperature causes it to condense.
    • As they move to temperatures below 0°C, the water droplets change into small ice crystals.
    • They continue to move up, gathering mass until they are so heavy that they start to fall to Earth.
    • This leads to a system in which, simultaneously, smaller ice crystals are moving up and bigger crystals are coming down.
    • Collisions follow and trigger the release of electrons, a process that is very similar to the generation of sparks of electricity.
    • As the moving free electrons cause more collisions and more electrons, a chain reaction ensues.
    • This process results in a situation in which the top layer of the cloud gets positively charged, while the middle layer is negatively charged.
    • The electrical potential difference between the two layers is huge, of the order of a billion to 10 billion volts.
    • In very little time, a massive current, of the order of 100,000 to a million amperes, starts to flow between the layers.

    Types of lightning

    • Broadly, there are three forms of lightning:
    1. Inter-cloud
    2. Intra-cloud
    3. Cloud-to-ground
    • It is the cloud-to-ground form of lightning that kills humans, as well as animals and livestock, and can substantially damage property.
    • While the Earth is a good conductor of electricity, it is electrically neutral.
    • However, in comparison to the middle layer of the cloud, it becomes positively charged.
    • As a result, about 15%-20% of the current gets directed towards the Earth as well.
    • It is this flow of current that results in damage to life and property on Earth.

    How intensely does it strike?

    • A typical lightning flash is about 300 million volts and30,000 amps.
    • To put it in perspective, household current is 120 volts and 15 amps.
    • A flash of lightning is enough to light a 100-watt incandescent bulb for about three months.

    Why does lightning kill so many people in India?

    • The reason for the high number of deaths is due to people being caught unawares and more than 70% of fatalities happened due to people standing under isolated tall trees.
    • About 25 per cent of the people were struck in the open.
    • Also, lightning is the direct promulgation of climate change extremities.

    Mitigating lightning incidents

    • Lightning is not classified as a natural disaster in India.
    • But recent efforts have resulted in the setting up of an early warning system that is already saving many lives.
    • More than 96% of lightning deaths happen in rural areas.
    • As such, most of the mitigation and public awareness programmes need to focus on these communities.
    • Lightning protection devices are fairly unsophisticated and low-cost. Yet, their deployment in the rural areas, as of now, is extremely low.
    • States are being encouraged to prepare and implement lightning action plans, on the lines of heat action plans.
    • An international centre for excellence on lightning research to boost detection and early warning systems is also in the process of being set up.

  • G20: SUMups To Tackle Global Natural Disasters

    Central Idea

    • The concept of SUMups, a hypothetical bundling of complementary start-ups globally that work on some aspect of managing natural disasters. There are some of the innovative technologies developed by these start-ups and how they can be combined to develop more effective disaster management solutions.

    Background: The Rising Frequency and Impact of Natural Disasters Globally

    • Increasing Frequency and Severity of Natural Disasters: Globally, natural disasters have become increasingly common and the severity of their impact is worsening.
    • FAO Report: According to the FAO’s report, there were 360 natural disasters per year in the 2010s that resulted in at least 10 deaths, affected 100 or more people, led to homelessness or injury, and required a declaration of a state of countrywide emergency and an appeal for international assistance.
    • Comparison of Natural Disasters: This number is significantly higher than the 100 events recorded in the 1980s and the 90 events recorded in the 1970s.
    • Frequency of Climate, Weather, and Hydrology-related Disasters: Furthermore, climate, weather, and hydrology-related disasters are becoming more frequent, while geophysical and biological emergencies are not, with the exception of Covid-19.
    • Global Impact of Natural Disasters: The impact of these natural disasters is global, affecting countries across the world in various ways, including forest fires, heat and dust storms, and floods.
    • The Need to Improve Disaster Response and Mitigation Efforts: As a society, it is important to recognize that natural disasters will continue to pose a threat and we need to improve our ability to respond and mitigate their effects.
    • Measures Being Taken to Address the Issue of Natural Disasters: Fortunately, there are measures being taken to address this issue, including research into improving disaster response systems and the development of new technologies to aid in disaster preparedness and relief efforts.

    Disaster Prevention Technologies

    • The disaster prevention technologies developed by start-up
    • CERD-AR: CERD-AR developed an Augmented Reality (AR) application that gamifies the animations of disasters and provides disaster prevention drills to prepare people for evacuation and reaction in ultra-realistic settings.
    • A Palo Alto-based start-up One Concern: One Concern built a digital twin of the world by analyzing satellite images to predict natural disasters. The platform combines Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning (AI/ML), and supercomputers to develop seismic and flood technology for real-time prediction of flooding and assess the risk associated with various events.

    Emergency Response and Reconstruction Technologies

    • Garuda Aerospace: Garuda Aerospace deployed drones in Turkey for surveillance in the affected earthquake areas to identify trapped victims.
    • HW Design Labs: HW Design Labs developed IoT innovations that support disaster response teams in planning their operations effectively through deep penetrating ground sensing radars, wireless connectivity solutions, advanced tracking, and navigation services.

    Emergency Communication Technologies

    • MyResQR: This start-up provides emergency communication between victims and stakeholders. The smart QR code manages information and triggers SOS during emergencies by enabling first responders like ambulance services, hospital staff, and other emergency response teams.

    Way Ahead

    • The SUMups represent an opportunity to combine innovative disaster management technologies from start-ups globally to address the Sustainable Development Goals for the whole world, such as building resilient infrastructure and zero hunger.

    Conclusion

    • The Startup20 Engagement Group of G20 can enable many such SUMups that can help deal with the increasing frequency, intensity, and complexity of natural disasters in the future. Sharing ideas and collaborating globally can help us all become better prepared and equipped to tackle these events. The article emphasizes that the sharing of ideas can be a powerful tool for solving complex problems, and the development of SUMups is a step in the right direction for improving disaster management worldwide.

    Mains Question

    Q. What is the concept of SUMups? Discuss the innovative technologies developed by start-ups in the areas of disaster prevention.

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  • ISRO releases Landslide Atlas of India

    landslide

    The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently released the Landslide Atlas of India to identify landslide hotspots in the country.

    What are Landslides?

    • Landslides are natural disasters that occur in mountainous terrains where soil, rock, geology, and slope conditions are conducive.
    • A landslide is the sudden movement of rock, boulders, earth, or debris down a slope.
    • They can be triggered by natural causes such as heavy rainfall, earthquakes, snowmelting, and undercutting of slopes due to flooding.
    • They are extremely hazardous, posing a threat to human and animal lives, damaging property, roads, and bridges, disrupting communication lines, and snapping power lines.
    • Landslides are broadly classified based on the type of materials involved, the type of movement of the material, and the type of flow of the material.

    Why do they occur?

    • Landslides are natural disasters that occur mainly in mountainous terrains due to conducive conditions of soil, rock, geology, and slope.
    • Heavy rainfall, earthquakes, snow-melting, and undercutting of slopes due to flooding can trigger landslides.
    • Anthropogenic activities such as excavation, cutting of hills and trees, excessive infrastructure development, and overgrazing by cattle can also cause landslides.

    Factors contributing

    • The main factors that influence landslides include lithology, geological structures like faults, hill slopes, drainage, geomorphology, land use and land cover, soil texture and depth, and weathering of rocks.
    • Rainfall variability pattern is the single biggest cause for landslides in India, with the Himalayas and the Western Ghats remaining highly vulnerable.

    India’s vulnerability to landslides

    • India is considered among the top five landslide-prone countries globally, where at least one death per 100 sq. km is reported in a year due to a landslide event.
    • Approximately 12.6% of the country’s geographical land area (0.42 million sq km) is prone to landslides, with 66.5% of landslides reported from the North-western Himalayas, 18.8% from the North-eastern Himalayas, and 14.7% from the Western Ghats.

    Risks in specific states          

    • Mizoram recorded the highest number of landslide events in the past 25 years, with 12,385 events, of which 8,926 were recorded in 2017 alone.
    • Nagaland and Manipur also reported a high number of landslide events during the 2017 monsoon season.
    • Uttarakhand and Kerala reported the highest number of landslides, with Uttarakhand experiencing 11,219 events since 1998, and Kerala making inhabitants significantly vulnerable to fatalities, despite fewer events.

    Classification and Mapping of Landslides

    • Landslides are broadly classified based on the type of materials involved, type of movement, type of flow of the material, and whether they spread laterally.
    • The Landslide Atlas of India maps landslides mainly based on events and seasons.
    • The National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) used a landslide database created from 1998 to 2022 using aerial and high-resolution satellite images.

     

  • Policy: Making India Earthquake Prepared

    Policy

    Central Idea

    • The destruction caused by earthquakes in Turkey should be alarming for India. Over the last three weeks, tremors have been felt in Himalayan states. Moreover, geologists have warned of a probable massive earthquake in the Himalayan state. In this context the Delhi High Court asked the state government to file a status report and action plan on the structural safety of buildings in Delhi. Nearly 58 per cent of the Indian landmass is vulnerable to earthquakes and the concerns that have been raised by the court need a policy response instead.

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    How do earthquakes happen?

    • According to the theory of plate tectonics, the Earth’s crust and upper mantle are made of large rigid plates that can move relative to one another.
    • Slip on faults near the plate boundaries can result in earthquakes.
    • The point inside the Earth where the earthquake rupture starts is called the focus or hypocentre.
    • The point directly above it on the surface of the Earth is the epicentre.

    What is missing in India’s policy on earthquake preparedness?

    • Current policy operates primarily at the scale of structural details: Guided by the National Building Codes, this includes specifying dimensions of the structural members columns, beams, etc. and details of the reinforcements that join these elements together.
    • While scientifically sound, this view on earthquake preparedness is myopic:
    1. It ignores the buildings that were constructed before such codes were published in 1962. Such buildings form a large part of our cities.
    2. It assumes infallibility in the processes of enforcement, relying only on penalisation and illegalities.
    3. It treats earthquakes as a problem of individual buildings, as if they exist and behave in complete isolation from their urban context.

    What needs to be done?

    • Preparedness at Building and City Scale through policy: Earthquake preparedness, therefore, needs to act at the scale of building details as well as that of cities. Moreover, we must think about it in the realm of policy and not just legal enforcement.
    • Need for Comprehensive Policy: At the scale of building details, we need to create a system of retrofitting existing structures and enforcing seismic codes with more efficiency. While there has been political talk and piecemeal efforts towards retrofitting, we still lack a comprehensive policy.

    A policy should include two measures

    1. Retrofitting Buildings to Seismic Codes:
    • To create a system of tax-based or development rights-based incentives for retrofitting one’s building up to seismic codes.
    • Such a system of incentives will enable the growth of an industry around retrofitting and will generate a body of well-trained professionals and competent organisations.
    1. Improving Seismic Code Enforcement:
    • By ensuring better enforcement of seismic codes through a similar model. A step forward in this direction was the National Retrofitting Programme launched in 2014.
    • Under the programme, the Reserve Bank of India directed banks to deny loans for any building activity that does not meet the standards of earthquake-resistant design.

    Case study: Japan

    • Japan has invested heavily in technological measures to mitigate the damage from the frequent earthquakes that it experiences.
    • Skyscrapers are built with counterweights and other high-tech provisions to minimise the impact of tremors.
    • Small houses are built on flexible foundations and public infrastructure is integrated with automated triggers that cut power, gas, and water lines during earthquakes.
    • All of this has been a result of cultivating an industry around earthquake mitigation and fostering expertise.

    Criteria for an urban-level policy to generate earthquake vulnerability maps

    1. The percentage of vulnerable structures in the area;
    2. The availability of evacuation routes and distances from the nearest open ground;
    3. Density of the urban fabric;
    4. Location of nearest relief services and the efficiency with which these services can reach affected sites.
    • For example: Flood zone mapping is a good example of such an exercise that has proven to be successful in terms of timely evacuation and efficient implementation.

    Conclusion

    • Governments and policymakers ought to know better than act in a piecemeal manner. Programmes like the ongoing Urban 20 meetings are an excellent opportunity for international knowledge exchange on earthquake preparedness. The Delhi High Court’s directions must act as a reminder for the inclusion of an earthquake preparedness policy in urban renewal programmes such as the Smart Cities Mission. A policy on earthquake preparedness requires a visionary, radical and transformative approach.

  • Turkey hit by series of powerful Earthquakes: The science behind it

    turkey

    More than 4000 people died and several hundred were injured after a major earthquake of magnitude 7.8 hit south-central Turkey and Northwest Syria.

    What is an Earthquake?

    • An earthquake is an intense shaking of the ground caused by movement under the earth’s surface.
    • It happens when two blocks of the earth suddenly slip past one another.
    • This releases stored-up ‘elastic strain’ energy in the form of seismic waves, which spreads through the earth and cause the shaking of the ground.

    What exactly causes Earthquakes?

    • As we know, the earth’s outermost surface, crust, is fragmented into tectonic plates.
    • The edges of the plates are called plate boundaries, which are made up of faults.
    • The tectonic plates constantly move at a slow pace, sliding past one another and bumping into each other.
    • As the edges of the plates are quite rough, they get stuck with one another while the rest of the plate keeps moving.
    • Earthquake occurs when the plate has moved far enough and the edges unstick on one of the faults.
    • The location below the earth’s surface where the earthquake starts is called the hypocenter, and the location directly above it on the surface of the earth is called the epicentre.

    How prone is Turkey to Earthquakes?

    • Turkey and Syria lie in a seismically active region
    • The region where the earthquake has struck lies along a well-known seismic fault line called the Anatolia tectonic block that runs through northern, central, and eastern Turkey.
    • It is a seismically active zone — though not as active as, say, the Himalayan region which is one of the most dangerous regions in the world from the perspective of earthquakes.

    What makes Turkey a hotbed of seismic activity?

    turkey

    • Turkey is frequently shaken by earthquakes. In 2020 itself, it recorded almost 33,000 earthquakes in the region.
    • Turkey is located on the Anatolian tectonic plate, which is wedged between the Eurasian and African plates.
    • On the north side, the minor Arabian plate further restricts movement.
    • One fault line — the North Anatolian fault (NAF) line, the meeting point of the Eurasian and Anatolian tectonic plates — is known to be “particularly devastating”.
    • Then there is the East Anatolian fault line, the tectonic boundary between the Anatolian Plate and the northward-moving Arabian Plate.
    • It runs 650 kilometers from eastern Turkey and into the Mediterranean.
    • In addition to this, the Aegean Sea Plate, located in the eastern Mediterranean Sea under southern Greece and western Turkey, is also a source of seismic activity in the region.

    Where was the earthquake epicentered?

    • The centre of the earthquake was centred about 33 km from Gaziantep, around 18 km deep.
    • Its effect was felt across West Asia, Northern Africa and South Eastern Europe with residents of Lebanon, Cyprus, Greece, Israel and Egypt also reporting tremors.

    Aftermath: Many Aftershocks hits the region

    • Aftershocks are a sequence of earthquakes that happen after a larger mainshock on a fault.
    • Aftershocks occur near the fault zone where the mainshock rupture occurred and are part of the “readjustment process” after the main slip on the fault.
    • While they become less frequent with time, although they can continue for days, weeks, months, or even years for a very large mainshock.

    Can earthquakes be predicted?

    • An accurate prediction of an earthquake requires some sort of a precursory signal from within the earth that indicates a big quake is on the way.
    • Moreover, the signal must occur only before large earthquakes so that it doesn’t indicate every small movement within the earth’s surface.
    • Currently, there is no equipment to find such precursors, even if they exist.

    India offers assistance

    • India is among the 45 countries, which have so far offered assistance to Turkey.
    • It’s sending search and rescue teams of the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) and medical teams along with relief material to the West Asian nation.

  • Disasters at Himalayan Region (Uttarakhand)

    Himalay

    Context

    • Disasters have become commonplace in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, the most recent one being the sinking of Joshimath. Although climate change has triggered these events, the most important underlying factors are poor planning and a lack of vision.

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    Recent disasters on Himalaya

    • Kedarnath floods: Nature has given enough warnings of the dangers in the Himalayas. The 2013 Kedarnath floods took more than 5,000 lives, according to official records.
    • Nepal earthquake: The 2015 Gurkha Earthquake in Nepal killed as many as 8000 individuals.
    • Floods in Pakistan: The recent floods in Pakistan left millions of people homeless and devastated.
    • Sinking of Joshimath: The ‘Joshimath sinking’ phenomenon has received national and global attention. However, other cities and towns across Uttarakhand are also on the brink of collapse. Joshimath is the first one to succumb to human pressures, thankfully without causing any damage to human lives.

    Reasons for disasters at Himalaya (Uttarakhand)

    • Construction in Prohibited areas: The geological fragility of Uttarakhand is part of scientific and popular knowledge. Government policies and bylaws prohibit people from constructing houses on vulnerable slopes.
    • Mindless decision making: With increasing access to internet facilities, almost everyone can find information. Yet one is compelled to ask about the role technological advancement and information abundance have played in environmental decision-making as mindless construction over vulnerable slopes continues uninhibited.
    • Ignorance by bureaucrats: The technicalities of science and academic jargon are complex for bureaucrats to understand and laypersons and bureaucratic mindsets only engage with the research community for obligatory and cosmetic purposes.

    Infrastructure of mountainous area and plain area

    • Normal construction methods for fragile ecology: We have continued to borrow practices from elsewhere for implementation on the delicate eco-geological systems of the Himalayas.
    • Gurugramisation of Uttarakhand: Gurugram’s infrastructure development took a toll on Gurugram itself. For the Himalayas, Gurugram-style development is enormously devastating. The “Gurugramisation” of Uttarakhand needs to stop.
    • Disregards to laws and regulations: The divide between science–policy, and people, has promoted disconnected decision-making and encouraged individuals to casually flout bylaws and regulatory policies. A common Uttarakhandi is forced to live a life full of uncertainty and fear.

    Case study of Nainital

    • Vulnerable to landslides: Nainital, one of the most vulnerable cities in the entire Himalayan region. The Nainital lake is situated over an active Faultline and surrounded by slopes vulnerable to landslides.
    • Earthquake prone area: It falls under a high earthquake-prone zone (Zone IV). Since its settlement in 1841 small and big landslides continue to threaten the city. The most devastating of them was the 1880 landslide that took 151 human lives.
    • Construction on vulnerable slopes: Despite having robust scientific evidence, building bylaws, and an aware citizenry, the brutal assaults on the biophysical environment of the city are ongoing. The slope that collapsed in 1880 (less than a fraction of a second earlier on a geological time scale) is now inhabited by more than 15,000 individuals.
    • Ground water exploitation: In 2017, the Nainital lake level plummeted 18 feet due to the excessive withdrawal of water from the lake bed to meet local and unprecedented tourism needs. Such a decline was never experienced in the past.
    • Mindless tourism activities: The biggest threat to Nainital is the crumbling “Balianala”. To make matters worse, construction work over the most important recharge area of the Nainital lake “Sukhatal” is underway. The intention is to enhance tourism-related activity. But the question is, does a city that receives more than 10,000 tourists and 2,000 vehicles on a daily basis in the summer months and weekends need more tourism?

    Himalay

    Conclusion

    • The carrying capacity of the cities in Himalayas has been exhausted. The natural infrastructure is fatigued and dangers of a possible collapse are visible to the human eye. Government must the amend and implement the construction laws and regulations for sustainability of Himalayas.

    Mains Question

    Q. What are the reasons for recent sinking in Joshi math? Illustrate the vulnerability of Himalayas using the case study.

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  • In news: Bhopal Gas Leak Tragedy

    bhopal

    The Supreme Court has grilled the Centre on how the settlement can be reopened, when Union Carbide has already paid over $ 470 million to the Bhopal gas tragedy victims, and also expressed concern over Rs 50 crore undisbursed funds.

    Why in news?

    • Union Carbide, now a part of Dow Jones – has not fulfilled its responsibility in terms of providing just compensation.
    • Around 19 years after compensation was agreed upon, the Indian government filed a curative petition in 2010 to seek additional compensation from Dow, of more than ten times the amount it gave in 1989.

    Bhopal Gas Tragedy

    • On the night of December 2, 1984, one of the biggest industrial disasters to ever take place began unfolding in Bhopal.
    • Harmful Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) gas started leaking from a nearby Union Carbide pesticide plant, eventually resulting in the Bhopal Gas tragedy.
    • An estimated 3,000 people died within the first few days.
    • Over time, similarly horrifying numbers of those who suffered life-long health issues would become known.

    Health hazards of the disaster

    • Its effects were such that apart from killing thousands of people in a short span of time, it led to disease and other long-term problems for many who inhaled the gas.
    • The sources of water around the factory were deemed unfit for consumption and many handpumps were sealed.
    • To date, the reproductive health of many of Bhopal’s women has been affected.
    • Children born to those exposed to the gas have faced congenital health problems.

    How did govt respond to the disaster?

    The incident pointed to the lack of specific laws in India at the time for handling such matters.  This changed after Bhopal.

    • Environment (Protection) Act, 1986: It authorised the central government to take relevant measures and regulate industrial activity for environmental and public safety.
    • Public Liability Insurance Act of 1991: It was also passed to provide public liability insurance for providing immediate relief to the persons affected by an accident occurring while handling any hazardous substance.

     

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  • What is Joshimath Crisis?

    joshimath

    Many families living in Uttarakhand’s Joshimath has shifted to safe places after their homes developed deep cracks, leaving them in a panicked state.

    Joshimath Crisis

    • Joshimath lies on an ancient landslide, resting on a deposit of sand and stone, not rock.
    • The rivers Alaknanda and Dhauli Ganga play their part in triggering landslides, by eroding the river banks and mountain edges.
    • It is believed that increased construction activity and growing population have contributed to frequent landslides in the area, the 1976 Mishra Committee Report had pointed out.

    What is Land Subsidence?

    • Land subsidence is when the ground sinks or settles.
    • It can happen because people are taking too much water or minerals from the ground, which causes the ground to sink.
    • It can also be caused by natural processes, like soil compaction or the movement of the earth’s crust.
    • Land subsidence can cause problems like damage to buildings and roads, and can make it more likely for flooding to occur.

    Why is it sinking?

    • Joshimath is a deposit of sand and stone — it is not the main rock — hence it was not suitable for a township.
    • Vibrations produced by blasting, heavy traffic, etc. has led to a disequilibrium in natural factors.
    • Lack of proper drainage facilities also leads to landslides.
    • A lot of water has been percolating down into the porous crystalline rocks beneath the surface, softening them further.
    • When water is not allowed to flow down its natural course, it creates a lot of pressure, either over the ground, or underneath.
    • The existence of soak pits, which allow water to slowly soak into the ground, is responsible for the creation of cavities between the soil and the boulders.
    • This leads to water seepage and soil erosion.

    Issues with Joshimath’s town-planning

    • Overt tourism: The place is now the hub of tourists headed to at least three important shrines — Badrinath, Hemkund Sahib and Shankaracharya temple — as a result of which major infrastructure development has taken place.
    • Ignoring topography: There are lots of loose soft rocks, moraine (material left behind by retreating glaciers), and sediments. The soil is, therefore, not ideal for large constructions.
    • Seismically active area: Added to this is the fact that the area falls in a highly seismic zone, and experiences regular tremors, making the top soil unstable.

    Preventing a disaster

    1976 Mishra Committee Report suggested-

    • Imposition of restrictions on heavy construction: Construction should only be allowed after examining the load-bearing capacity of the soil and the stability of the site, and restrictions should also be imposed on the excavation of slopes.
    • Keeping the boulders: In the landslide areas, stones and boulders should not be removed from the bottom of the hill as it would remove toe support, increasing the possibility of landslides.
    • Sealing of cracks: Cracks which have developed on the slopes should be sealed. The toe of a landslide is its bottom-most point.
    • Conserving of trees: It has also advised against cutting trees in the landslide zone, and said that extensive plantation work should be undertaken in the area, particularly between Marwari and Joshimath, to conserve soil and water resources.
    • Agriculture on the slopes must be avoided: Activities like ploughing loosens the soil thereby triggering the scope for landslides.
    • Preventing water seepage: To prevent any more landslides in the future, the seepage of open rain water must be stopped by the construction of a pucca drainage system.
    • Cobbled roads: Roads should be metalled and without scuppers, that drain away the water from the road surface.
    • River training: The construction of structures to guide the river’s flow should be carried out. Hanging boulders on the foothills should be provided with appropriate support.

    Way forward

    • Ensuring safety of people: This should be immediate priority. State government should establish a clear and continuous communication channel with the affected people.
    • Time-bound reconstruction plan must be prepared.
    • Continuous seismic monitoring must be done.
    • A risk sensitive urban development plan for Joshimath should also be developed.

     

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