DEHRADUN: Scientists believe that the weak geological condition in Uttarakhand is the biggest cause of the disaster that happening in the state.
According to official government sources, “The disaster in Uttarakhand has caused a loss of Rs 1,000 crore and 85 people have died till Sunday.
Geologists and meteorologists are considering this as a far-reaching effect of climate change, but in the present context, it is the normal pattern of rainfall. Scientists say that the weak mountains in the state are unable to withstand the heavy rains and there are frequent landslides.
Excessive rainfall accounted for 43.3 percent of the total monsoon in the decade 2011-2020. Surprisingly, this was the highest recorded in all 12 decades since 1901-1910, before the share of such rainfall increased to 43.4 percent in the decade 2013-2022, which has raised the concern of scientists.
“The government may have constraints on development in the mountains, but roads can also be developed on the lines of the way railway tracks are being laid by making tunnels between the mountains for the Karnaprayag rail project, which will help a lot in preventing landslides on the mountains, said Prof Rakesh Kumar Maikhuri, the head of the Department of Environmental Sciences, at Garhwal University.
Dr. Vikram Gupta, the senior scientist at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, told TNIE that there has been a change in rainfall patterns across the world as an impact of climate change. Sometimes, it is raining at a very fast pace, though for a short time, and at the same time, extreme rainfall events are also increasing.
“Nainital, Mussoorie region, Pithoragarh, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Uttarkashi, Yamuna valley, Alaknanda valley, Mandakini, Bhagirathi river area, Tehri (Budhakedar), Neelkanth Mahadev area (Pauri) are more vulnerable to landslides,” said Dr Vikram Gupta.
Well-known environmentalist Chandi Prasad Bhatt told The New Indian Express, “The mountains were not so crowded earlier, so even steep slopes did not pose as much danger as it currently is, now indiscriminate and unplanned construction on the mountains has shaken the geographical load capacity of the mountains."
Dev Raghvendra, an environmentalist and researcher of environmental science said, “Undoubtedly, development is necessary for the mountains and border areas, but the rapid increase in anthropogenic activities in the Himalayan region is a sign of a very big threat”.
According to Bikram Singh, director of the State Meteorological Centre, “Uttarakhand has been recording excessive rainfall in the foothills for the past few years.”