Rehabilitation Issues

And Case Study Of

Kedarnath Landslide
Submitted by
Vikas tyagi
m.e (c.m)
1422

INTRODUCTION
Uttarakhand is considered as one of the most beautiful
state.
Uttarakhand has a total area of 53,484km2 of which
93% is mountainous and 64% is covered by forest.
Most of the uttarakhand part of the state is covered by
high Himalayan peaks and glaciers.
Two of India's largest rivers, the Ganga and the Yamuna,
originate in the glaciers of uttarakhand.
It is well known as the lands of the gods.

UTTRAKHAND LANDSCAPE
Rugged mountain chain with high relief.
Varied geomorphic landforms: Glacial/ glacio-fluvial and
fluvial.
Dominance of erosional & gravitational processes.
Lies in Zone IV & V of Seismic Zoning map of India.
Known to be one of the most landslide prone states in
India.
Rainfall & Earthquake are the main triggering factors for
slope failures.

UTTRAKHAND LANDSCAPE

GEOLOGICAL SETUP OF UTTARAKHAND

2013 Flash Floods

On June 16, 2013 at approximately 7:30 p.m., a landslide occurred
near Kedarnath Temple.
Water came from Chorabari Tal or Gandhi Tal down Mandakini River at
about 8:30 p.m. which washed away everything in its path.
On June 17, 2013 at approximately 6:40 a.m., waters rushed down
River Saraswati and from Chorabari Tal or Gandhi Sarovar bringing
along with its flow huge amount of silt, rocks and boulders.
The flash floods triggered by very heavy rainfall and cloudburst in
Uttarakhand on affected 12 out of the 13 districts in Uttarakhand. The
4 districts that were worst affected were Rudraprayag, Chamoli,
Uttarkashi and Pithoragarh.
The deluge has washed away roads, bridges and other infrastructure.

Causes of Flood
And
landslides

NATURAL REASONS

Due to
Cloudburst
Cloudbursts lead to
exceptionally heavy
rainfall and sudden
flash floods in the
mountainous
streams and rivers,
leading to breaching
of banks and
overflowing of
dams.

Due To Heavy incessant rainfall

Heavy rainfall in the higher altitude areas.
325mm in 24 hours between 5PM 15th June and 5PM
16th June at Chorabari Lake (3960masl) as against
272mm in 3days (15-17June) at Ghuttu (~1430mmasl)
(Dobhaletal,2013).
Sudden increase in daily rainfall in the month of June
2013 as compared to total rainfall of June for last 5
years.
Rising of water level upto 5-7 m.

Increase & pattern in river

discharge

Damages within flood plains

Landslides on banks due to toe

erosion

Debris slides & flows on banks

Man Made Reason.

However, the true cause of the epic tragedy is growth of tourism, unchecked
rapid increase of roads, hotels, shops and multistory housing in ecologically
fragile areas and unplanned construction are the reasons of landslides.
Also rapid growth of hydroelectricity dams that disrupt water balances and this
also triggered the action of disaster.
More than 220 power and mining projects are running in 14 river valleys in
Uttarakhand.
Several rivers are being diverted through tunnels for these projects leading to
major disasters in the state.
Deforestation is also one of the most important factor for uttarakhand disaster,
which cause frequently landslides.

Image of Kedarnath Temple

Deaths And Damages

822 were deaths occurred in flood(official estimates).
1800 were missing persons.
2232 has fully damaged houses.
154 bridges get damaged.
1520 roads get damaged.
4200 villages were affected.
Over 70,000 people were stuck in various regions because of
damaged or blocked roads.
National highway 58, an important artery near region
jyotirmath was also washed away.

Rescue Operation
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Indo-Tibetan Border
Police(ITBP) personnel have so far rescued 32,772 peoples from
different areas of Uttarakhand following landslides and floods, of
the 32,772, including pilgrims and residents, 26,538 were
rescued by ITBP while 6,234 were evacuated NDRF personnel.
Defending its role in the rescue operations in the flood-ravaged
Uttarakhand, ISRO had played its role in the largest rescue
operations in the country, saving thousands of lives.
Several thousand soldiers were deployed for the rescue missions.
ITBP Jawans distribute medicines to stranded pilgrims during
Uttarakhand rescue operations.

Rescue Operation
The Army, Air Force, Navy, Indo-Tibetan Border Police(ITBP),
Border Security Force, National Disaster Response
Force(NDRF), Public Works Department and local
administrations worked together for quick rescue operations.
Helicopters were used to rescue people.
Local people distribute food to rescued pilgrims near IAF base
camp in dara's.
By 21 June 2013 the army had deployed 10,000 soldiers and
11 helicopters.
The Navy had sent 45 naval divers, and the Air force had
deployed 43 aircraft including 36 helicopters.

Financial Assistance
Prime minister of India undertook an aerial survey of the affected
areas and announced 1000 crore (US$160 million) aid package.
Uttar Pradesh government 25 crore,
The governments of Haryana, Maharashtra and Delhi 10 crore
each,
The government of Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh
and Chhattisgarh 5 crore each.
The US Ambassador to india extended financial help of
USD$150,000 through the United State Agency.
Also US announced that the US will provide further financial aid of
USD $75,000.

Rehabilitation
Strategies

Science & Technology Strategy for Reconstruction

Short-term strategy
Medium-term strategy
Long-term strategy

Short-Term Strategy
Multi-hazard risk zoning.
Detailed geomorphological mapping along major river
valleys.
Landslide inventory.
Identifying safer zones for reconstruction.
Reconstruction of houses, roads & communication
infrastructure.

Medium-Term Strategy
Optimal land use planning.
Strengthening emergency communication systems.
Strict scrutiny and implementation mechanism for EIA
and EMP.
Tourism sector.
Enhancing Livelihood Opportunities for Rural Population.

Long-Term Strategy
Conservation of Natural Resources and Environment.
Strengthening scientific observational network.
Strengthening institutional capacity and linkage.
Capacity building of community and local bodies of
governance.

Detail implementation Plan of

Central S&T
Ministry/Departments

Department of Science & Technology.

Department of Biotechnology.
Ministry of Earth Science.
Department of Space.
Council of Scientific & Industrial Research.
Department of Electronics & Information Technology.
Department of Atomic Energy.

Major Influencing factors for

Developments in GIS-Technology

Financial Requirements
Proposal of Uttarakhand
Government

Rs. 50 crore for establishment of Science Research

Centre. (The financial requirement for the Research
centre would be met from the proposal of Department
of Science & Technology on establishment of National
Centre for Himalayan Glaciers (NCHG) with estimated
cost Rs. 211.06 Cr supported by Planning Commission)
11 hill states need to earmark 2% of their Annual
budget for rehabilitation, post disasters like land slide
which will be funded through Central Sector.

Additional Financial
Requirements

Development Strategy for

Sectorial Perspective
Developing infrastructure.
Propagating tourism.
Diversifying agriculture.
Establishing Small and Medium Enterprises.
Promoting poultry- and wool-based livelihoods.
Capturing linkages with industry and tourism.

Developing Infrastructure
The issue of drinking water supply must be part of an
integrated water resource like lift irrigation techniques, such as
hydrams and guhls can be used to improve irrigation.
The availability of cheap power by way of inexpensive waterlifting systems for irrigation will boost agriculture.
Road networks should be further developed.
The banking sector offers a low credit deposit ratio (CDR) that
is only 25 % in hill districts as against 45% in the rest of the
state.
People in the hill regions should be made aware that loan
schemes are available e.g., SIDBIs credit guarantee scheme.

Promoting Tourism
The state attracts tourists for pilgrimages of different kinds of
tourism.
Tourism should be developed in an environment-friendly manner.
Tourist zones have to be connected by formal and informal links
in the form of roads, trails and tracks and thematic circuits.
Proper publicity and marketing is required along with the
development of skills and the associated service sector to
provide world-class service.
The bed-and-breakfast model should also be propagated for lowbudget domestic travelers.

Agriculture Diversification and

Development of Allied Sectors
Promote agriculture that is based on high-value herbal,
medicinal and aromatic plantation.
Intercropping of aromatic plants with conventional grains can
also help in diversifying the income basket of small and
marginal farmers.
Organic farming methods are the preferred option for the
agriculture-based hill region.
A cluster approach should be adopted in the hill regions.
Animal husbandry and forest resource use are a part of hill
livelihood; these need to be developed on a commercial basis.

Development of Small and

Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
Encourage agro-processing SMEs.
To facilitate the development of these SMEs, the land
acquisition process should be handled with sensitivity,
stable power supply should be provided by the
government.
Create a task force for vocational training and skill
upgrading with the active participation of local
industries.
The development of business skills in people.

Development Strategy for Hill

Districts

Conclusion
It is a well-known fact that both natural and human made
disasters force people to move out of their land.
Strategies for rehabilitation of thus displaced people are
in the first place by way of preventive action. For
instance, care is taken to build earthquake proof houses,
gather advance information about cyclones and arrange
for timely evacuation, build appropriate bunds in flood
prone areas, maintain bridges that take regular up and
down passing of trains/ road transport vehicles on them
in order to avert likely disasters. Secondly, advance
preparation on the part of administration and local

References
Planning commission ofS&T Intervention for post-disaster
reconstruction efforts in Uttarakhand
Bisht, D.S. (2006). Poverty, Planning and Development - A
Case Study of Uttaranchal State (submitted to the Planning
Commission). Central Himalayan Institute. Dehradun.
Trishul Publications, Dehradun.
Uttarakhand Tourism Development Master Plan 2007-2022
(October 2007). Draft report by the Government of India,
the Government of Uttarakhand, the United Nations
Development Programme and the World Tourism
Organization.