Shaken by the August 5 disaster in Dharali, the Uttarakhand government has directed the authorities to stop all construction work in disaster-prone areas with immediate effect.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced that no government or private buildings, whether residential or commercial, will be allowed along rivers, streams, or other natural water sources in the state.
During a high-level meeting convened at his official residence, Dhami also directed administrative officials for to “immediately identify areas prone to landslides, avalanches and other natural disasters in hilly regions so that precautionary measures could be taken." No new settlements or construction would be permitted in such sensitive zones, he added.
Also Read: Dharali tragedy leaves locals grieving, speechless
Dhami stressed the need to fix accountability on government officers and employees. He asked senior staff to put disaster management and safety of residents in the state first. "Clear guidelines should be issued to all district officials, and regular monitoring of the implementation of these guidelines should be done," he further said.
“There has to be some check on construction near rivers and in disaster-prone areas. Ours is a hill state and it is prone to natural calamities. We not only need to stop all such constructions in future but also fix accountability on govt officers and employees,” he added.
Over 70 per cent of Uttarakhand’s area is under forest. The authorities have already marked 54 landslide-prone spots along the Char Dham route.
The Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Department date revealed that from 2014 to 2024, natural disasters destroyed 3,667 houses and temporary shelters completely. Another 9,556 permanent structures and over 5,000 temporary ones were partially damaged in the state during this time.
Follow us
