Day 26 – Q. 2. The recurring landslides in Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim have exposed gaps in development planning. Critically examine the role of unplanned infrastructure and deforestation in increasing landslide vulnerability. Suggest solutions. (150 words, 10 marks)

Q. 2. The recurring landslides in Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim have exposed gaps in development planning. Critically examine the role of unplanned infrastructure and deforestation in increasing landslide vulnerability. Suggest solutions. (150 words, 10 marks)

Introduction 

According to the Geological Survey of India (GSI), nearly 12.6% of India’s landmass is prone to  landslides. The 2023 landslides in Himachal and the 2024 events in Sikkim reveal how  deforestation and haphazard construction aggravate this risk.  

Body  

Recent Landslide Incidents and Their Impacts 

1. Himachal Pradesh, July–August 2023: Over 400 people lost lives due to landslides  triggered by torrential rain, worsened by slope-cutting for roads and buildings. 
2. Sikkim, May 2024: Flash floods and landslides disrupted NH-10 and damaged key  infrastructure, showcasing the compound impact of glacial melt, deforestation, and ill planned roads.  

Unplanned Infrastructure and Its Contribution to Vulnerability 

1. Slope Destabilization due to Road Cutting: Roads are carved out using vertical cuts with  no retaining walls, disrupting slope equilibrium and causing collapses during heavy  rainfall. Example: Kalka-Shimla road damage in 2023. 
2. Urban Expansion Without Hazard Zonation: Rapid urban growth on fragile slopes like in  Shimla lacks integration of hazard zonation maps into bylaws, inviting construction in  high-risk zones — as seen in Summer Hill collapse.  
3. Hydropower Projects and Blasting: Projects such as Teesta and Parbati employ  uncontrolled blasting and tunnelling, altering geophysical stress and triggering landslides  in weak zones.  
4. Poor Drainage and Runoff Management: Inadequate stormwater management systems  near roads and settlements increase waterlogging and lead to saturation-induced  landslides — evident along NH-707 in Uttarakhand.  
5. Tourism-Driven Infrastructure Boom: Hotels and homestays are often built violating  slope angle guidelines, overwhelming natural resilience — such as unregulated homestay  clusters in Manali.  

Role of Deforestation in Triggering Landslides 

1. Loss of Natural Slope Binders: Tree roots act as natural reinforcements; deforestation  loosens topsoil, especially during the monsoon, making slopes prone to failure. 
2. Shifting Cultivation in North East: Slash-and-burn practices in Sikkim and nearby regions  reduce vegetative cover and natural water retention, amplifying erosion. 
3. Unregulated Logging and Plantation: Forest cover loss for agriculture and timber in  Himachal’s Kullu and Mandi valleys has been directly linked with slope weakening. 
4. Failure to Implement CAMPA Funds: Delays in compensatory afforestation under the  CAMPA scheme have meant ecological restoration hasn’t kept pace with deforestation. 
5. Encroachment into Forest Land: Expansion of settlements and roads into designated  forest zones violates the Forest Conservation Act and removes stabilising green cover.  

Steps Taken by the Government 

1. Landslide Hazard Zonation Mapping by GSI: The Geological Survey of India has mapped  85% of vulnerable hill regions and shared this data with states to incorporate into town  planning.  
2. National Landslide Risk Management Strategy (2020): This strategy aims at institutional  capacity building, risk zoning, landslide monitoring, and promoting community-based  disaster risk reduction.  
3. Installation of Early Warning Systems: Pilot projects in Uttarakhand and Sikkim include  rainfall thresholds and sensors to issue alerts before slope failures.  
4. Eco-sensitive Development Norms in Hill States: Draft guidelines by the MoEFCC  promote low-impact construction, waste management, and slope-sensitive architecture  in eco-sensitive zones.  

Solutions Needed 

1. Mandatory Landslide Hazard Mapping: Enforce GSI-led zonation maps in urban  masterplans; restrict high-risk slope construction as per NDMA guidelines. 
2. Eco-sensitive Infrastructure Codes: Promote stilt-based structures, terracing techniques,  and deep drainage norms specific to hill regions in building bye-laws.  
3. Reforestation and Slope Bioengineering: Launch intensive slope-stabilisation projects  using vetiver grass, willow trees, and bio-nets, especially in landslide-prone districts. 
4. Institutional Coordination and Capacity Building: Strengthen disaster cells in  municipalities; improve convergence among PWD, Forest Dept, and NHAI under State DM  Plans.  
5. Incorporate Global Best Practices: Draw from Japan’s Sabo engineering techniques to  integrate resilience into hill development models.  

Conclusion 

Addressing landslide risk demands compliance with NDMA’s landslide mitigation guidelines,  integrating environmental safeguards with planning. Only then can we build resilient mountain  regions that balance development with safety and ecological stability