GOVERNEMT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

RAJYA SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2200
TO BE ANSWERED ON 23-07-2009
COMMON DISASTERS
2200. DR.K.MALAISAMY:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

(a) the common disasters that are occurring in India;

(b) whether it is a fact that India's vulnerability to landslide and snow avalanches is substantial and striking during monsoon season; and

(c) the major measures initiated or being initiated to tide over the landslide and snow avalanches?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCE; MINISTER OF STATE IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE; MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL,PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

(PRITHVIRAJ CHAVAN)

(a) The common natural disasters that are occurring in India are earthquakes, landslides, cloudbursts, flash floods, snowstorm, snow avalanches, ice fall, cyclone, flood, tsunami, rock fall, mud flow/debris flow, crevasses, glacial lake out bursting, and lightening.

(b) Yes sir, our country is vulnerable to various types of natural disaster viz. 55% of its land is prone to earthquake, 8% is vulnerable to cyclone, 5% vulnerable to flood and landslides affects 15% of our country covering over 0.49 million square kilometers. Majority of landslides occur during monsoon season whereas the snow avalanches phenomena is dominant during winter however only in rare and exceptional circumstances it takes place in remote locations during the monsoon season.

(c) National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has recently issued guidelines on management of landslides and snow avalanches which recommends some structural and non-structural measures to tide over the impact of these disasters. These measures inter alia primarily include landslide hazard zonation, mapping of landslide prone areas, treatment measures for selected hazards, landslides, early warning system, capacity building and strengthening the emergency capabilities. Further Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) is working in the field of avalanche mitigation in the country. Civilians and troops are forewarned about the impending danger by SASE and also it provides information about all round danger to the Government. Besides Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology is also engaged in investigating the major causative factors for landslides in Himalaya.