PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
With more than 100 roads blocked due to heavy rains and landslides in Uttarakhand, an expert team of the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) will visit Himachal Pradesh to study the actions being taken in the neighbouring State to tackle such situations there. Chief secretary Anand Bardhan issued this direction to Disaster Management and Resettlement secretary Vinod Kumar Suman.
Reviewing the situation caused by heavy rains in the State on Tuesday, Bardhan said that the geographical conditions in the neighbouring States of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are also similar. Rains have caused considerable damage in Himachal Pradesh this year and Uttarakhand needs to know what the authorities there are doing to address the situation so that an effective strategy can be prepared based on their experience in case similar situations arise here. Directing officials to ensure blocked roads are reopened at the earliest, Bardhan said that it should be ensured that JCBs and other necessary equipment reach a landslide site within 15 minutes, adding that prompt action should also be taken to reopen rural roads. Suman informed that according to the seven-day weather forecast, there is a yellow alert for all districts from Wednesday. While the rain was below normal in June, it is forecast to be above normal in July. It has been forecast that the rain will be 108 per cent above normal during the entire monsoon. The secretary also informed the chief secretary about the rescue and rehabilitation efforts undertaken in the State so far.
